The Healer's Touch
by AlyssC01
Summary: Sequel to The Touch of Green Fire. Kim's mother is kidnapped, forcing Kim to go to Shego for help. Set just before So the Drama. KiGo. Read and Review please.
1. A Parent's Perspective

_TITLE: The Healer's Touch. _

_AUTHOR: Alyssa C_

_CATEGORY: Action/Adventure and knowing me, Drama and Angst. _

_PAIRINGS: KiGo _

_RATING: M to be safe. _

_WARNINGS: There will be violence, bad language and more than friendly interaction between two women. All the best things in life. ;) If you find same sex relationships between women offending, please turn the other way. Warnings about myself: I take a long time to put chapters up unfortunately. _

_FEEDBACK: Oh please, please, please! Will do tricks for reviews. _

_DISCLAIMER: I don't own Kim Possible or any of its characters. All original characters are the property of the author but they are fair game if they are worthy. I do not make any money out of this. _

_AN: This story is set just before So The Drama and is a sequel to The Touch of Green Fire. I debated for along time whether I was going to write a sequel to it but decided finally that I'll write this for those who wanted a little bit more from TGF. Besides, the idea hit me, I couldn't ignore it. This carries on about three weeks after TGF happened. I have a Beta this time round who will hopefully help me with the format problems I had with TGF. :P If there are any problems now, I can share the blame! A big thank you to Tenchi Knight for taking on the monstrous task of working with fickle little me. For the record; my spelling of Kimberly as Kimberlee is intentional. Also, I have reposted a Beta'd version of TGF. Once again, all honours go to Tenchi Knight. _

**Chapter 01: A Parent's Perspective. **

It all started with an appointment.

Dr. Ann Possible, a slim woman with greying red hair and clear blue eyes, pinched the bridge of her nose before she took a deep breath and shifted upright in her chair.  
"I'm sorry Mr. Monsieur," she said, keeping her voice level. "But, let me get this straight. You want me to perform a lobotomy on your son?"

An elderly gentleman was sitting across from her with a steady gaze and a touch of greying hair. He smiled at her, though the warmth of it never touched his eyes, and patted the boy next to him on the shoulder. He was a sullen looking youth, tall with light eyes that he kept firmly fixed on his knees.

"That is correct Dr. Possible," the man said with a slightly accented voice. "I have outlined it all in my folder."

The doctor grimaced and touched the papers in front of her. "Yes," she said dryly glancing at the pair. "You have done quite a lot of research on this I see." She opened the folder, paged through it a bit then closed it and sat up. "Mr. Monsieur, this is a highly unusual request and, I have to say, the first that I've ever had from a healthy patient. You've told me exactly what you want me to do but, however I cannot understand why you want me to do it."

Mr. Monsieur smiled and sat back, spreading his hand around the room. "Because you are the best Dr. Possible," he pointed out. "As you know, this is a very delicate procedure and I believe that you are the only person who I'll trust with my son's life."

Ann shook her head and folded her hands in front of her. "You misunderstand me, Mr. Monsieur," she said. "I'm not asking why you want _me_ to do it personally; I meant why is it you want the procedure done if you know that it's a risky procedure."

The man smiled, still watching her with a sharp look in his gaze. "Because of its effects dear doctor," he said. "For centuries, lobotomies have been used to control people's personalities. Change it. Yes, I know the official use of it has fallen out of practice but its advantages are still there. Its effects cannot be obtained by any other medical procedure. Believe me, I've looked into everything."

Ann was silent for a few moments, taking note the unnatural stillness of the man's son. He was sitting there quietly while his father was suggesting subjecting him to unnecessary brain surgery. Her stomach twisted suddenly with a sense of foreboding.

"Mr. Monsieur," she said levelly. "The side-effects of this kind of procedure are very harsh. Mood swings, a chance of increased aggressiveness, personality changes, and the possibility of complete mental retardation. I doubt it's anything you want to put your son through unnecessarily."

The man shook his head like a school master would to a particularly dim student. "It's the side effects I'm interested in." he motioned to his son. "Look at my boy Dr. Possible. He's a timid creature at the best of times, with no aspirations to power or success. He lacks aggressiveness, assertiveness, and a strong will of his own. This surgery will change that, making him fit to inherit the family business."

Ann frowned and crossed her arms. "And what is that exactly?" she asked levelly, making her client smile.

"Hostile takeovers," Mr. Monsieur said mildly. "Business ventures, corporate campaigns, and other things of the sort. It's all very technical you understand."

Ann's eyes narrowed a fraction but she took a quick breath and relaxed her body and face. "Of course," she said and straightened the folder. "Mr. Monsieur, has it ever occurred to you that your son might not want to do this, that he might have dreams of his own?"

Mr. Monsieur snorted. "Of course not," he snapped. "He is my son. He will inherit the family business. And, it is important that he is fit to do so."

Surprised by the man's insistence, Ann sat back and sighed. "Mr. Monsieur," she said gently. "Your son is fit now. Look at him. He is a strong, healthy young man. He has his own dreams, his own ideals. I am a parent myself and believe me; we cannot make our children into what we want them to be. The best thing we can do is teach them everything we know, let them make their own choices and mistakes and be there to help them when they fall."

The man considered her a moment then said levelly. "Are you saying this as the mother of the famous teen hero?"

Ann hesitated before retorting with a question of her own. "Have you met her?"

Mr. Monsieur smiled. "No my dear," he said. "I have merely read about her exploits. She is a child to be proud of."

Instead of flattered, Ann felt somewhat threatened and tried to hide it by saying nonchalantly. "As is your son I'm sure Mr. Monsieur," she said. "Really, this surgery is unnecessary."

The gentleman snorted and sat up straighter. "Your opinion is beside the point," he snapped. "All you need to tell me Dr. Possible is whether or not you are going to do it."

Surprised by his bluntness Ann blinked and bit her lip. Considering her options she shook her head. "No," she said clearly. "No Mr. Monsieur, I don't believe that I can do this. To be frank, it's unethical. If you believe that there is fault with your son I can recommend a good family..." She didn't get to finish her sentence because Mr. Monsieur stood up. She paused what she was saying and stared at the man as he smiled at her and placed a hand on his son's shoulder.

"A family psychiatrist or social worker won't fix my problem," he said smoothly. "I'm truly sorry to hear that you won't help me Dr. Possible. As I said before, you are the best. I don't think I'll trust my son's life in anybody else's hands."

Ann looked up at him for a few moments then carefully stood up, trying to catch the young man's gaze. He didn't look at her, merely stood up and went to stand beside his father. He was taller than the older man with a darker complexion and dark hair.

When she couldn't meet his gaze Ann sighed and nodded. "I'm sorry I can't help you," she said evenly. "But, you have to consider the unethical nature to what you plan to do, Mr. Monsieur."

The man merely smiled at her and put the Panama hat that he had had on her desk on his head. "I consider the bigger picture Dr. Possible," he said. "It's a shame that you won't. Thank you for your time."

&&&

The appointment haunted her the whole day.

Knowing that it was one of those evenings that her work would follow her home, Ann decided to sooth herself by buying Take-Out for the family. Fatty foods did wonders for the worries of work.

The Monsieurs stayed with her. Try as she might, she could not bring her head around the intention of the father to change his son. And with such a radical procedure, no less! Lobotomies had been outlawed in medicine after the 1980s although sometimes similar procedures had been used in medicine. In the 1930s to 1950s it had been one of the main procedures to control and treat mental illness and schizophrenia. Plainly put, it was a barbaric practice that gave the patient a form of controlled brain damage. Ann refused to believe otherwise and that there was any medical advantage in it. Time and medicine had changed a lot and it had shaken her to her core that anybody would be willing to do that to their children.

The house was quiet when she returned home. The boys, she knew, were at soccer practice with their father but she wasn't entirely sure where her eldest was. Kim's schedule was even more erratic than hers and she was fully aware of the fact that if her daughter wasn't at home there was a very good chance that she was on another continent. It had taken her a long time to get use to it, but she had accepted the fact that her daughter would never live an ordinary teenage life.

In view of the day she had, she felt deeply grateful that her daughter had the confidence to pursue her interests.

Ann felt the overwhelming urge to hug her eldest and set off to see if the teenager was home. Although she was always worried about her daughter, her concern had been ever present the past few weeks. It had been three weeks since Shego had escaped from the hospital and the event seemed to have changed her daughter profoundly. Her iron-hard core of right and wrong had been shook, the equilibrium that she believed in toppled. Although she didn't speak of it, Ann could see that her daughter was still haunted by those events. Whatever had happened in the Top Secret facility had left its mark on both her daughter and her best friend. Ron's presence at Kim's side was more constant the past few weeks and he treated her with a gentleness that she had never needed before.

_They were growing up,_ Ann decided with a motherly ache in her heart as she reached Kim's attic door. _Her little girl and her goofy shadow was walking ever closer to the cruel world of adulthood._

She knocked twice and pulled it down upon hearing a muffled call from her daughter. Kim was sitting in front of her computer again, browsing through what appeared to be wedding dresses. Ann smiled and went in.

"Still looking for a Prom dress?" she queried as her daughter turned to smile at her. "Have you decided on a colour yet?"

Kim smiled at her mother before she turned back to her computer. "I'm still browsing," she said. "I was thinking about black, but that might remind people of that little emotion disturbance incident. Bonnie's had her wardrobe planned for weeks." She grinned suddenly. "She broke up with Brick today... for the second time."

Ann rested her hand over her daughter's shoulders and looked at the computer screen. "I thought you said that they made up a few days ago?"

Kim nodded and flicked to another picture. "They did, Bonnie loves the drama."

Ann smiled slightly, shaking her head at the childhood rivalry. "I like that one," she said casually. "Are you going with Ron?"

Her daughter stiffened underneath her touch and went quiet, staring at the screen. Ann frowned and sat back.

"Did somebody else ask you?" She kept her tone neutral.

Kim sighed and shook her head, turning away from the computer to look at her mother. "I haven't had a real boyfriend in years mum," she said. "Guys don't... ask me to that kind of stuff."

Unsure of the seriousness in Kim's tone, Ann smiled lightly. "It's probably because they always assume that you go with Ron," she said. "You two are tight."

Kim shook her head and looked at the floor. "It's not that," she said. "They know we're not dating." She sighed. "I just... Mum, do you think that... I scare guys?"

The question took her completely by surprise. "Scare guys?" she queried. "Darling, where does this come from?"

Kim shrugged uncomfortably and turned back to her computer. "I've just been... wondering why I don't have a boyfriend. That's all."

Ann sighed and stood up again to put her arm around her daughter's head. "Lots of people don't have boyfriends in school honey," she said. "It doesn't mean that there's anything wrong with you. I hardly dated when I was in school."

Kim snorted. "Yes," she said dryly. "But, you were a straight A student mum, slaving your way through academia to get enough scholarships to last you through university. I'm not that dedicated."

The woman smiled and planted a kiss on her daughter's head. "But you are dedicated to save the world. Don't worry about this alright? The right person will come one day." She was silent for a moment then tapped her daughter on her shoulder. "Stand up and give your mother a hug, she needs it."

Clearly glad for the change of subject, Kim stood up and allowed her mother to embrace her. "How was your day?" she asked. "You feel tense."

Ann shook her head and held her daughter tighter before letting her go. "I just had a rough day," she said. "A client upset me. But that's irrelevant now." She pushed a piece of hair out of her daughter's face and kissed her on the forehead. "I just felt like telling you I love you and that I'm happy with you just the way you are, boyfriend or no."

&&&

The next evening, she had all but forgotten about her encounter.

"I've just been to see your husband, Mrs. Torres," Mrs. Dr. Possible was talking on her mobile as she walked out of the hospital's ambulance bay. "And the initial tests are all very positive... No, I can understand that you can't be here. It's a long journey and really, your husband won't be conscious for at least another two days... That's why I gave you my mobile number. Please, feel free to phone me at any time... Yes, thank you. You too..."

She hung up and slipped her phone into her pocket, reaching instead for her car keys. It was very late and she had just finished and emergency operation on a victim of a brain aneurism. Tired, and distracted by her own thoughts, she didn't see the paramedic until the young woman was right in front of her.

Ann gasped surprised and blinked at the curly haired blond woman. "Doctor?" the young woman said with a professional measure of concern in her voice. "Please, could you come and help us quickly."

Ann blinked at her and then at the only ambulance in the bay. Slipping into physician mode she nodded and hurried to the ambulance alongside the woman. "He's convulsing," the paramedic said. "We can't move him until he's stabilized. My colleague's gone in to get the emergency staff. We could use an extra hand."

Ann nodded and allowed herself to be pulled into the ambulance by another paramedic. "What's happened?" She looked at the gurney and realized with cold surprise that it was empty. "Where's...?"

There was a click close to her ear, followed closely by a very harp sting. Ann gasped and slapped at the spot immediately. A part of her knew that something was very wrong immediately, but shock made her sluggish as she turned to stare at the woman who had called her. She had just lowered her hand to her waist, a 10 ml syringe much akin to what diabetics used for insulin injections in her hand.

"What's going on?" Ann managed to stammer as the doors were closed behind the woman. "What was that?!"

The woman put the syringe down and looked beyond Ann to her colleague. "Let's get her on the gurney. Dr. Possible, just relax."

The man behind her reached for her shoulders but in a burst of adrenaline Ann swung and tried to punch him. "What's going on?!" She demanded even as she felt a sudden sinking sensation travel through her body. The man smoothly wrapped his arms around her, prohibiting her from struggling as her limbs started feeling heavier. "What was that?!"

The woman made a soothing sound and bent down to pick up her legs. Before Ann could do anything she felt herself lifted onto the gurney and strapped down. She struggled against the restraints, but it was increasingly hard to focus. She knew that she should've screamed but she could not make a sound past the fear constricting her throat. Blinking tears she looked up to see the man slip through to the front to a sit next to another unknown paramedic. The woman joined her at her head and put a gentle hand on her forehead.

"Just relax, we're not going to hurt you," she said again and rubbed at her tears. "I gave you some Valium, Dr. Possible, just to make the journey shorter."

Ann blinked, her vision becoming more and more unfocused, and tried to turn her head away from the woman's touch. "Let me go," she managed - her voice soft. "Please, what's this about? Just... let me go."

Her pleas fell on deaf ears as the blond reached behind her and got out a saline IV. Ann felt her eyes drift shut at the same time she felt her coat sleeve rolled up and a sharp sting of a needle in her forearm. She fought for consciousness and jerked against the restraints one more time, managing to word one last plea.

"Let me go."

&&&

_To Be Continued... _


	2. The Girl Who Could Do Anything

**Chapter 02: The Girl Who Could Do Anything. **

_Leanne made a motion behind her back and, from her precarious position, Kim saw Ron hit a button on the panel. What ever Teryl Adamson wanted to say was drowned by her sudden scream of pain. The green glow that had been around her hands flared brightly and for a second engulfed her whole body. Kim knew that this was her chance and moved quickly to pull herself up. She swung herself up onto the walkway and edged onto it. Teryl looked ready to collapse, the glow fading around her but when she saw Kim starting to stand up she made one final lunge in her direction. Without blinking, feeling as if she had all the time in the world, Kim moved aside slowly and flipped her over the railing..._

Kimberlee Ann Possible, teen hero and high school cheerleader sat up with a start, her heart racing from the dream like flashback. She swallowed and looked around her familiar room, shivering from the cold sweat that was tickling down her neck and back. The familiar layout of everything brought a sense of security back, but it didn't comfort her as it once did. Kim's world was different, she sensed it every day. She looked at everything through changed eyes, saw life from a different angle. She tried to hide it from herself and everybody else but she knew that those who loved and knew her closely were worried about her.

There was nothing she could do to take that concern from them.

Sighing, rubbing a creak out of the back of her neck she got up, not bothering to look at her alarm clock. Dawn was just approaching, casting her room in a pale gray light. Kim did a few stretches then inevitably found herself drawn to her computer. It was becoming an early morning ritual. She always started off by telling herself that she was looking for prom dresses. Yet, inevitably she would find herself drifting to her website to check out her hit counter and the location of those hits, wondering whether any of them might be Shego.

A part of her didn't want to think about the raven haired woman yet another part of her couldn't forget her. As regularly as she woke up with the memory of almost killing Teryl Adamson, she woke up with the touch of a ghostly hand on her face and the burn of soft lips on hers.

"_If all you can think about is this moment,"_ Shego had said. _"Here and now. Then, my dear, I am sorry – but you will live an extraordinary life. Nothing will ever be the same again." _

Looking at her website statistics, Kim snorted suddenly and stood up. Shego might have said that, but she had only kissed her to get her guard down. She was only leading her on. She couldn't possibly be gay. There was no way Shego could've meant it, it had been merely a game to try and help her escape.

The idea left her feeling very empty and the only emotion she could summon to fill the void was the quiet, constant anger she had felt during Shego's illness. The woman had played her and taken advantage of her. Instead of helping her resolve the confusion and other emotions she had felt, Shego only made the situation worse.

Kim, feeling exasperated and irritated, put on her usual blue Capri pants and green tank top and gathered the things she needed for school. On impulse, she decided to make breakfast for the family as she had a lot of time to kill before she had to meet Ron and her mother had had a very late night. She must have only come in after Kim had gone to bed because the teenager couldn't remember hearing her.

In the reflective hours of the morning, Kim sometimes wondered where her independent streak came from and the only clear line she could see ran to her parents. They taught her to follow her own mind and because of the demanding hours they both had in their careers, she actually had the space to do so.

She would always be grateful towards her parents for allowing her to be all that she wanted to be, but sometimes, just sometimes, she begrudged them that, wishing instead that she could've settled and have a normal life.

"_...you will live an extraordinary life." _

She also wished with all her heart that Shego was wrong.

After running a quick brush through her hair Kim left her room and headed down to the kitchen. She heard a shuffle from her parent's room and presumed that either her father or her mother was already awake. She resisted the childish urge to knock loudly on her brothers' door and slid down the stairs' railing. In the kitchen she got a bowl of muesli for herself and proceeded to make some bacon and eggs for the rest of the Possible family. The simplicity of the task banished the feelings she woke up with and by the time that her father stumbled into the kitchen, fumbling with his tie, she was feeling more like her old self.

Mr. Dr. Possible smiled at his eldest child and went to give her a kiss on the head before he slipped into the dining niche. "Morning Kimmie Cub," he said with his usual cheer. "You surprised me; I thought that it was your mother in the kitchen."

Kim blinked at her dad before she handed him a plate of breakfast. "I thought she was still in bed," she said. "You mean she's already left?"

Her father sighed exasperated and nodded. "If she's not here I'm beginning to wonder if she ever came back," he said. "I don't remember her coming in."

Kim made a considering sound and slipped in next to her father with her half eaten bowl of cereal. "Nor can I," she said. "Maybe she stayed at the hospital?"

Her father shrugged and got up to make himself a cup of coffee. "Normally she phones," he said with a touch of irritation. "But, she was very worried about her patient. I'll phone from work. How are you Kimmie? Slept well?"

Kim made a dismissive gesture and smiled. "You know me Dad," she said mildly. "I can sleep anywhere, anytime. Anything exciting at work at the moment?"

Her father grinned like a kid with a new toy and nodded. "I've made some major breakthroughs on a project of mine. I am hours away from..." He lowered his voice in a conspiring tone. "Completing the Hephaestus project."

Kim, playing along, lowered her voice as well. "And what's that Dad?" she queried softly. Her father grinned and sat back, finishing his breakfast.

"Can't tell you," he said. "Top Secret."

Kim smiled and stood up to clear away their plates. "I'll just have to wait then till someone steals it," she said. "Then you'll have to tell me. The tweebs are going to be late."

Dr. Possible growled under his breath and stood up with a miserable sigh. "Your mother's better at waking them than I am." He gave his daughter a considering look. "I can't wait for you to have your own car Kimmie. Then you can take them to school."

Kim snorted and shook her head. "Dad," she said exasperated. "If it's a choice between walking and car pooling the tweebs... I'll rather have a pair of running shoes than a set of wheels."

&&&

School was uneventful.

Kim breezed through the day, revelling in the comfort of her established routine. It was distracting with its politics, after school activities and academia. The prom was on everybody's mind and Bonnie provided more than enough entertainment for her to forget her thoughts. She was painfully aware of the fact that she was the only one on the cheerleader squad that didn't have a boyfriend (she and Bonnie that is...) but it wasn't a new dilemma. She could ignore her doubts about her sexuality when she listened to Bonnie wail about Brick. She could only wonder what the future had in store for the couple. She doubted that, if Brick graduated this year, their relationship would survive him going to university.

_Though,_ she thought with a touch of irk as she finally walked up to the front door. _Bonnie would be SO smug if she was dating a first year. They would _never_ hear the end of that._

Shaking her head to herself, Kim dropped her gym bag in the laundry room and went to look around the rest of the house. Everything seemed pretty much the way she had left it when she went to school. It didn't look as if her mother had come home at all. Frowning slightly, feeling a touch of trepidation, Kim went to the garage to see if her mother's car was back. It was unusual for her mother to stay away from home for this long. Normally she would at least come home for a shower and a lie down.

Unable to shake the uncomfortable feeling that she held in her chest, Kim went to the telephone and quickly dialled her mother's mobile number. When it went to voice mail she dialled again, in case her mother had not answered it in time but she had no success. This time the phone was turned off.

Tapping the receiver, Kim decided to phone her father instead to find out what her mother had said that morning. He answered on the second ring, sounding rushed and distracted. Kim smiled at the idea of him playing around with his new project and quickly announced herself after his hurried; "Possible."

"Hey Dad, it's Kim."

There was a pause and Kim could've sworn that for a few seconds her father had forgotten who she is.

"Ah, Kimmie-Cub!" he exclaimed suddenly. "What can I do for you Princess?"

Winching at the nickname, Kim turned her back to the wall and leaned against it. "Sorry to bother you at work Dad," she said sincerely. "I was just wondering what Mom had said to you this morning. It doesn't look as if she's been home."

Her father was silent for a long time before he let out a soft whistle through his teeth. "Shoot, I'm sorry Kim," he apologized. "I forgot to phone her. You say she's not there?"  
Mentally cursing her father for his absentmindedness she shook her head and stepped away from the wall. "No, it's alright," she said quickly. "I'll phone the hospital. Her mobile's just been turned off."

"She might be in surgery," her father offered. "Ask her if I should bring take-out. I think that she'll be exhausted."

Kim shook her head and glanced at the clock. "I'll make dinner," she said. "Are the tweebs being brought home by the Jetsons?"

"Yes," her father replied. "I have to pick them up from there when I come back home. Thanks Kimmie."

She smiled and glanced down to notice that the telephone message light was flashing. "It's alright Dad, see you later. I just noticed there are a few messages on the answering machine, maybe one's from Mom."

She said good bye to her father and quickly checked the messages. The first one was from a friend of her mother's saying that she had left a message on her mobile as well and just wanted to know if their appointment for the next week still held. The second one, to Kim's surprise and unease, was from the hospital.

"_Sorry to bother you on your home number," _the message said. _"But we couldn't reach you on your mobile and we would like to know Mr. Anderson's pre operation medication. If you receive this message before we've managed to contact you, please phone back. Thank you." _

The third message sounded even more urgent, also from the hospital.

"_Dr. Possible, it's Dr. Stevens here. I couldn't reach you on your mobile and I see you haven't been in to check up on Mr. Torres. There are some concerns. Please phone ICU immediately if you receive this message." _

Kim didn't even bother listening to the rest of the messages and rather dialled her mother's office immediately. She got through to her mother's secretary and before the woman could say anything, asked her whether her mother was at the hospital.

"No Kim," the young woman, Anita said. "I've been paging her all day. She hasn't turned up for any of her appointments. I left a message on your answering machine. Her mobile just keeps ringing."

Unable to think through the panic building up inside her Kim closed her eyes and took a few steadying breaths. "Anita," she said when she managed to work some moisture back to her dry mouth. "It doesn't look as if my mom came home last night. Is she... Are you sure she's not at the hospital?"

Anita was quiet in much the same way she had been a moment or two ago. "I'll check," she said in a tense voice, "All the departments. I'll phone the parking attendants and find out if her car's here."

"Find out if she left," Kim said quickly. "I'll wait by the phone Anita."

The click on the other end of the line put Kim in the same mind frame as the charging of a laser might've or the triggering of a trap. She waited by the phone, barely keeping her panic in check. She thought that the secretary was taking too long but when she looked at her watch she realized that barely a minute had passed since she had put down the receiver. Kim let out a quick breath and rubbed her hands over her face. She glanced at the telephone and then at her watch.

Two minutes.

Fear pulsed inside her as she tried to imagine what happened to her mother. She tried to tell herself this day was probably a big misunderstanding, that her mother had gone to a friend's or to another hospital for a consultation and forgot to tell anybody. The thought though, felt more far fetched than her mother being in a car accident with amnesia. The woman was very meticulous about her appointments and life. If you raised three children, an eccentrically smart husband and pursued an active and professional career, your life had to work like clockwork.

Except for the car accident or unspoken appointments, Kim could think of only one other thing that might've happened to her mother and the thought turned her stomach to water.

It brought along an old fear and a cold voice in her mind.

_One day they will come for your family,_ the voice said. _One day, all those people on whose toes you have tread on through your illustrious career as a teen hero will decide to get even._ _And they will strike, not at you, but at your family..._

The sound of the telephone made her jump, causing her hands to shake as she fumbled for the receiver.

"Yes Anita," she answered without waiting for the person to announce herself. It was her mother's secretary and the woman's voice was a thin sliver of control away from breaking.  
"Your mother's car is here Kim," she said with a tense tone. "The guards said that she never left. But... She's not here Kim. I phoned every department I possibly could and send someone down to the ER. She's not here Kim. I don't know where your mother is..."

&&&

_To Be Continued..._

_AN: Hey!  
No, I haven't died. I've just been working insane hours. Try working 80 hours a week. It's an interesting experience. This has been Beta'd once again by Tenchi Knight who is in fact a he and not a she as I had presumed. Very embarrassed author offers her humble apologies for her silly assumption. I blame the sheep.  
On the content, I can't say a lot except to have patience, ;) I'm a slow starter. Hope that you enjoyed and thank you for all the reviews! It's great to be back._

_Have a super day, _

_Alyss. _

_-;--_


	3. Taken

**Chapter 03: Taken. **

Ron was at her house within two minutes, her father within twelve and the Dr. Director of Global Justice within twenty. And, through it all, Kim felt as if she was a head trapped in a bubble, standing there looking at herself, thinking but somehow not doing it for herself.

She had called Ron the moment she ended the call to the nurse to tell him that her mother was missing, and then was overcome by a sense of guilt because she hadn't thought of phoning her father first. His call was one of the hardest she had ever had to make. He hadn't commented on anything when she explained the situation to him, but had merely said in the calmest voice she had ever hear him use that he was going to come home immediately so that he could pick her up and they could go to the hospital together. She didn't understand how exactly that could help, but sensed her father's need to go there and investigate for himself. She knew he probably harboured the same irrational hope that somehow there had been one big misunderstanding and that she would show up the moment they turned up in the car park. She had that hope too but hers was overshadowed by her cold logic telling her that they had to get there quickly before the trail went cold.

Ron had come running into the house just as she had put the phone down from her brief discussion with her father, debating whether or not to phone the police. Judging by the time it had taken him she knew that he must've run at full pelt from his home. Leaning against the doorframe to catch his breath, he didn't talk to her immediately but looked at her, his brown eyes filled with a fearful comprehension. She stared at him, unable to say anything that would make sense. Biting her lip, she looked back to the phone in her hands and shook her head.

"I'd phone the police," she said calmly. "But, I know that they would suggest that I call _myself_ to help myself. Who do you turn to if _you're_ supposed to be the one to call in an emergency?"

Ron, swallowing dryly and, rubbing some sweat from his forehead, stumbled into the house and took the phone from her.

"I think you're right about the police," he said. "Have you told Wade? I haven't seen him today or yesterday for that matter."

Kim blinked and instinctively reached for the Kimmunicator in her pocket. "No," she said. "Good thinking, don't know why I didn't do it immediately. He sent me an email yesterday saying that he's lecturing in Germany so he's adjusted his sleeping patterns. Not that I think he ever sleeps."

Ron made a grunting sound and looked at the phone. "I'll call Global Justice while you're talking to Wade. They..." He paused suddenly when he saw his friend's stoic expression. "KP, it's time to let that go."

Kim checked herself and shook her head. "I'm sorry," she said carefully. "I didn't mean to be... I mean... Of course we should phone..." She heard a car door slam. "My dad's here."

She quickly went to the door, not hearing Ron's tired sigh. Rubbing his brow again, Ron opened his trouser's pocket and squinted at his naked mole rat.

"Rufus, do you have that card of important numbers?" He asked just as Mr. Dr. Possible stormed into the door, his mobile in hand.

"I've been trying to call your mother since leaving the hospital," he said. "You're right, it's off. I've left several messages. The hospital employees are looking around for her. I... Hello Ronald." He noticed Ron who had taken the card full of numbers from Rufus. The naked mole rat had perched himself on his owner's shoulder and was squinting at the telephone when he noticed that they were being watched. Ron glanced up at the greeting and waved at the scientist.

"I'm dialling Dr. Director's personal number," he said. "I've got it on my card... Oh, here she is now... Dr. Director..."

Kim nodded, touching her father's elbow and not bothering to listen to Ron's monologue as he explained the situation to the Director of Global Justice. "I'm just waiting for Ron to finish that call then we can go," she said. "I just realized that I haven't listened to any of the other messages on the phone yet, one of them might be from Mom. Hasn't she phoned you at all today Dad?"

The older man shook his head, his face very tense. "I'm ashamed to say that I haven't heard from her since yesterday afternoon when she phoned me to find out if I can pick up the boys." He gave his daughter a desperate look. "I just assumed she had stayed at the hospital or that she got up and left after I went to bed and before I got up. She does that, if I had known..."

Kim increased the grip she had on her father's arm. "It's alright Dad," she said quickly. "I'm sure there's some big misunderstanding behind all of this. I didn't notice that she was gone either. We were just all She didn't know how to put it. "Busy."

Her father didn't say anything, but frowned as Ron put the phone down and joined them by the door. "Dr. Director says that she's coming, we should wait for her. She's putting her people onto tracking your mother's movements over the past forty eight hours. Have you called Wade?"

Kim let out a tense breath. "No," she said. "I keep getting interrupted. It's not necessary for her to come just yet." She glanced down at the Kimmunicator she still had in her hands. "I'll call Wade, give me a sec Dad, I'll be right with you."

She moved aside and turned on her Kimmunicator. It showed her that Wade was currently idle and that he wasn't at his computer. Vexed, she send him an emergency alert and before turning back to her father. Shaking her head she slipped her Kimmunicator back into her pocket.

"I think he's sleeping," she said. "Let's go to the hospital. Ron can wait here for Dr. Director. Wade will call us when he's ready."

She was about to bundle her father through the door when the woman herself arrived. Kim could never deny that Dr. Betty Director had a _presence_. With her crisp and tidy air and the dramatic authority that her single eyed gaze held, she was a woman to be reckoned with. Once, Kim had been fascinated by her and had spend countless hours trying to work up the courage to ask her about her personal life, to try and understand how she had come to where she was. Now, with Global Justice's unwillingness to help Shego still heavy on her mind and scratching like a dry sore, she found that she didn't want anything to do with the woman. She wasn't angry at her personally but she still couldn't help but feel that _she_ should've tried harder to help her. Also, although she would never admit it to herself, it had been a hard knock for her to realize that even the people she looked up to could make mistakes.

Dr. Director walked into the house as if she owned it, looked around briefly then turned her eye on Kim. They stared at each other for several minutes before Dr. Director asked calmly.

"Do you think your mother has been kidnapped Kimberlee?" As always, she went straight to the point, not bothering with a social greeting or introduction. Kim had to swallow, her mouth going completely dry as she felt her father's gaze settle on her, begging her to say no.

"Yes," she said quietly. "Mom is not the kind of person to just disappear. She's more prompt than this."

The woman nodded slowly, still not looking away from her. "Do you have any suspects?"

To her horror, Kim heard herself laugh. "Several," she managed. "It's really a question of picking one or all."

Again she was met with a curt nod. "And, you believe that her disappearance has got something to do with you?"

The dryness in her mouth became a burning sensation in her throat and Kim had to struggle to keep her composure as she felt the warning of tears start to scratch behind her eyes. She looked at her father and felt Ron's sudden presence behind her. Yet, when she turned her gaze back on the Dr. Director she felt a rush of cold anger.

"Yes," she said simply. "There's no other reason why my mom would be taken."

Dr. Director nodded slowly. "Then, I suggest that you and your father go and pick up you brothers," she said and looked at Mr. Dr. Possible for the same time. "Or, we can send someone to get them. I think it's best to take no chances so we'll organize a safe house for you. I already have my people on tracking your mother's movements just before she disappeared. They are interviewing the hospital employees as we speak and..." She trailed off when she saw Kim blink and clear her throat.

"Ah, I'm sorry," Kim said quietly. "Although I appreciate your help, it's not necessary for Global Justice to be doing all the work. My father and I were about to go to the hospital. I would like to talk to the people myself."

Dr. Director blinked as a look of caution crossed her face. "Kimberlee," she said quietly and stepped forward, resting a light hand on her shoulder. "Come with me for a second." She pushed her deeper into the house, away from Ron and her father. They turned into the kitchen, where Dr. Director closed the door as Kim crossed her arms in front of her chest.

"What is it?" the younger woman asked. "What can't you tell me in front of my father? Do you know more?"

Dr. Director hesitated, taking a moment to look at the photos pinned to the fridge. She touched one that had the whole family in then touched her own face before she sighed and turned to her companion.

"Kim, I think you should sit this one out."

Kim stared at her for a full minute. She opened her mouth, hesitated, and then frowned. "Excuse me?"

Dr. Director sighed and spread her hands around the kitchen. "Sit this one out," she said. "Stay with your family, they need you more."

Kim barked a laugh, flabbergasted by what she was hearing. "No," she exclaimed. "I need to be out there looking for my mother. What do you mean they need me more? I'm needed out in the field!"

Dr. Director closed her eye with a sad expression on her face and shook her head. "I don't think its wise Kimberlee," she said in a controlled tone. "I have my best agents on this. You are too personally involved."

She had to gape at the woman.

"Personally involved?" Kim snapped when she found her voice. "Of course I'm personally involved! They've taken my mother!" Unable to stop herself she took a step closer to the woman as if to stand up to her. Dr. Director shook her head again and laid her hands on Kim's shoulders.

"Exactly," she said quietly. "Look how emotionally involved you got with the Shego issue. It..."

Kim pulled herself away from the woman's touch. "The Shego _issue_?!" she snapped. "You mean when Global Justice was just willing to watch as someone literally had the life sucked out of her? The same people you expect me to stand back for so that they can find my mother? Do you mean _that_ Shego issue? Is that what you choose to call it?"

The director backed up a bit but fixed a stern look on Kim. She didn't say anything, but waited for the teenager to calm down. Kim glared at her, breathing heavily and fighting to think past the bubble sensation. When she pulled her anger back, she let out a soft breath and closed her eyes.

"I did not just prove your point," she said softly. "Don't think that for one minute. I just can't believe that you can be so blasé about that."

"And, I can't believe that you are upset by it so quickly," Dr. Director countered and lowered her voice. "This is not about what happened three weeks ago Kim. This is about your mother and your family. Your judgement will be clouded, your actions dictated by your heart instead of your common sense. These things happen when you are to close to the case that you are working. Trust me, stay out of this Play the victim for once, not the hero."

Kim sniffed sharply and shook her head. "You mean the way you play the victim when your brother is off somewhere destroying the world?" she said in a low voice. "Tell me, Dr. Director – do you sit those days out? Stand on the sideline? Take a desk job?"

The woman actually took a step back. "That is different," she said quietly.

Kim smiled slightly and shook her head. "Tell me how," she said in the same tone of voice. "It's a family matter and you are personally involved. Tell me how it is different."

The woman sniffed then leaned towards the cheerleader. "For one thing," she said tensely. "I have had many years in which to make mistakes. That teaches you caution. For another, I have people below me, people I am responsible for and admittedly people who keep an eye on me. I have to answer to people, I cannot afford to become a loose cannon. However you, Kimberlee, have no such restraints. And this touches the heart of just who you are, your mother. Our parents are sacred Kim."

Kim sniffed sharply and shook her head. "Sacred?" she said. "No restraints? I don't see that as a negative Dr. Director. It was your restraints that kept you from helping a woman who was dying; it was my lack of restraints that saved her. How can you possibly expect me to trust Global Justice now to make the right decisions? Or, not the right decisions – because you _always_ do that, but the decisions that will keep my family safe. No," she shook her head and stepped towards the closed kitchen door. "I will look for my mother. And I will find her. And, I don't mind you helping me. I would really appreciate it, but heaven help you – don't get in my way and don't, _don't_ expect me to sit this one out."

&&&

Consciousness came slowly and she was very, _very_ nauseated.

Dr. Ann Possible didn't open her eyes immediately but lay very still, trying to breathe deeply so that she could clear her mind. The pillow her head rested on was not hers and the mattress was firm and stiff. New perhaps...

She swallowed and tried to open her eyes. She must've stirred or made a sound because suddenly someone slipped a cool hand into hers.

"Dr. Possible?" The voice said softly, the panic in it so strong that it resonated with a deep fear she felt inside her. "Dr. Possible are you awake?"

She swallowed again and pried her eyes open; aware of the precarious control she had over her stomach. She couldn't focus on the person immediately but had to close her eyes and take a deep breath to still her nausea.

"Shhh," the voice she could now identify as male whispered softly. "Give it time to wear off, take your time. Take deep breaths Dr. Possible." The panic in the voice had subsided a little to relief but her fear was still a strong wave inside her. Not opening her eyes, she tried to work some moisture into her mouth and took a steadying breath.

"Do you know me?" It felt like a silly question.

The person squeezed her hand. "Yes, Dr. Possible," the voice sounded almost embarrassed now. "I'm Adrian Stewart, Dr. Adrian Stewart. We've worked together on the odd occasion."

The name rang a bell but she couldn't quite place him yet. Frowning, she brought a very clumsy hand up to rub her eyes before she opened them again. The face that swam before her vision was as tense as the gray eyes that beheld her. She frowned at the young looking man and closed her eyes again. He was thin with hair practically shaven from his head, probably to hide his baldness. He looked familiar, but in her dazed state it took her several minutes to place his face.

"You're an anaesthesiologist," she said softly. "We operated together... Two months ago?"

"Three months," the man confirmed as he squeezed her hand. "It was a Glioblastoma on the Medulla Oblongata. Are you feeling any better Dr. Possible?"

She snorted with mirth that she didn't feel. "No," she said. "Did you do this to me?" She opened her eyes to see him shake his head.

"I woke up about... an hour ago," he said, the panic returning to his voice. "They brought you in... Gosh. It must be about twenty minutes or so. I wasn't looking at my watch. Here, let's get you to sit up. Are you nauseated?"

She nodded numbly and closed her eyes as the man carefully lifted the covers off of her and eased her legs off of the bed. Something pulled at her arm and when she glanced to see the source she realized that she still had an IV in.

"What..." She started but Adrian saw her confusion and grimaced. "I had one too," he said as he carefully pulled her up. "I'll take it out in a moment. It's just a standard saline to prevent dehydration I think. They haven't told me anything."

The world spun when her head left the pillow and she leaned forward precariously when he managed to get her in a sitting position. Ann coughed as her stomach lurched but tried to keep her gag reflex under control. The anaesthesiologist gave her a sympathetic pat on the back and pushed a plastic bin into her hands.

"Just breathe deeply," he said with practiced calm. "It should pass in a moment or two. Breathe through your nose."

Ann didn't want to believe him, still struggling to keep what ever was left in her stomach from making an appearance. She squeezed her eyes shut and realized to her horror that she was crying.

_That won't do,_ she scolded herself. _That won't do at all._

"Where are we?" she queried as she felt Dr. Stewart straighten out her arm. "What are we doing here?" There was a pull as he removed the tape that held the IV in place, but she didn't feel anything when he slipped out the needle.

"I don't know," Adrian replied, his voice tense as he struggled to hold onto his bed side calm. "I have no idea Dr. Possible. I really... I don't know. I just... think that we've been kidnapped." He giggled suddenly, as if the very thought was so ridicules that he could only deal with it as if it was a joke.

Still breathing deeply Ann looked at him then around her. The room looked like a standard camp bunker, with six bunk beds, a table and two other doors. There were no windows in the walls and no markings anywhere to give her a clue as to where they were.

She closed her eyes and took another deep breath to settle her stomach.

"My daughter will find us," she said, latching onto the first thought that crossed her mind. "Don't worry, my daughter can do anything. She'll find us in no time."

&&&

_To Be Continued... _

_AN: I like my Beta. _

_I tried to finish this in the Easter weekend but alas, no such luck as I spend quite a lot of the time I had for writing, sleeping. My 80 hour weeks have come to an end, but it's left me exhausted and very inclined to want to be horizontally. But, that's alright._

_Not a lot that I can say on the content of this chapter as it's pretty self explanatory. You can thank the reviewer Demented Noodles for this chapter as I received his/her review (not making that mistake again…) just as I was debating whether to start on this chapter or another. The review urged me to start on this one, so I did. :P _

_Hope you all had a hopping and blessed Easter! _

_Alyss _

_#-;-- _


	4. The Reflection of Words

**Chapter 04:**** The Reflection of Words. **

"So, I've just checked the security cameras," Wade was saying. "And your mom was in the parking area roughly ten minutes after she looked in on her last patient. She didn't talk to anybody as she was leaving the hospital because she was talking on her mobile. I'm in the process of checking with her service provider to find out who it had been. I'll send the information through to you the moment I have it. How are you two doing?"

Kim looked up from the Kimmunicator and glanced at her father who was talking to her mother's secretary. Her father looked tense and as close to loosing his temper as she had ever seen him. She felt sorry for the secretary, a young woman named Anita, but before she could go and save her, she first had to finish her conversation with Wade.

"We're just finishing up," she said quickly. "Nobody here saw anything. You were saying about when she entered the parking lot. Did you see what happened?"

Wade nodded though he didn't look very hopeful. "Just before she got into her car she was approached by someone who looked like a paramedic. The woman took your mom to an ambulance and they drove off. She didn't put up a fight or anything."

Kim snorted and stood up from where she had sat down on one of plastic hospital chairs. "They probably tricked her," she said miserably. "I take it from your lack of enthusiasm that you haven't found anything on the ambulance or the woman yet."

"Sorry KP," was Wade's reply. "I've put the woman's face up against the FBI's facial recognition program and I'm tracking the ambulance's movements through CCTV. It didn't have a number plate on so I haven't been able to see who it's registered to. But, what I am checking is to see who of our villainous friends would have access to medical equipment."

Kim nodded and gave Wade a strained smile. "Try DNA Amy," she volunteered. "She's had access to medical facilities. Or try Professor Dementor. Though..." She hesitated. "This doesn't really feel like anything that they might plan. My money is on Drakken." Wade nodded, though Kim wasn't sure that he agreed. "I'll keep you posted," the genius said. "What are you going to do next?"

Kim sighed and glanced at her father. "Take my father home," she said. "There's nothing we can learn here, at least not with him around. He's upset so he's upsetting people. Thank you for your help Wade, I'll call you when we're home if you don't get back to me sooner."

When she rung off, Kim felt a sudden wave of panic when she realized that they might end up at the same place where they had been with Shego less than a month ago. They had had no leads, no real help until it was almost too late. Perhaps in the same way people feared getting back on a horse after they had fallen off, she was petrified that it would happen again. And this time, as Dr. Director had pointed out, it hit closer to home.

Kim closed her eyes, took a few deep breaths then calmly went over to her father.

"I'm sorry Dr. Possible," she heard Anita say, the urge to cry clear in her voice. "I went home at five. I really can't tell you who else she saw or what... Kim?" The plea for help was palpable.

With a calm smile that belied how tense she felt, she slipped an arm into the crook of her father's elbow and pulled him away.

"Wade says that he's found something," she said, nodding at the secretary. "The best thing for us to do would be to go home and wait there."

There was an unknown wildness in her father's eyes when he looked at her. "I thought you said that we're not going to wait," he said suspiciously. "Isn't that why we're here?"

Kim squeezed her father's arm and started to pull him down the corridor. "I hate to admit it," she said. "But, there's not a lot we can do here than we've done Dad. Trust me, the best thing would be to go home and wait for Wade. He's found out that Mom got taken into an ambulance. He's tracking its route using CCTV footage. The moment we know where it headed Ron and I will go. If we can beat Global Justice to it..." She added for herself.

Her father wanted to argue, she could see it in the way he looked around the hospital corridor as if praying that he could pull his wife out of thin air. She didn't give him the time to say anything but started pulling him forward, back to where they had parked their car. She could see a few of Global Justice's teams on the grounds looking for clues but she knew that they would find nothing. She had already searched the grounds while her father questioned staff.

"Tell me something Dad," she said quickly before her father could say anything. "Did you notice anything out of the ordinary during your day? Have you felt as if you have been watched or has something happened that's out of place?"

Her father blew out a soft breath and shook his head. "Not that I noticed Kimmie Cub," he said. "Things have been very quiet at work, at least by our standards. You always get the occasional bang from Block D but that's normal because those guys just do not know their rocket fuel ratios..."

Kim let her father fall into a monologue, only occasionally making the right noises and saying the right words to keep him on track. It gave her time to think, to calm down.

Their trip to the hospital had been, she grudgingly admitted, a waste of time. The staff could tell them nothing that they didn't already know and the security footage Wade could've accessed for them no matter where they were. But, coming here had focused her and seeing her mother's car in the parking lot had knocked the reality of the woman's disappearance home to her. She allowed herself to feel the necessary distance that she needed from herself in order to see this as a job rather than a family matter. If she held onto that, she might be able to keep her head.

Although she would never admit it, the Director of Global Justice had had a point.

As scared as she was of things dragging out as they had when Shego was ill, she was even more scared of herself. Or, scared wasn't entirely the right word. Rather, she had seen a chasm inside herself and now, she was cautious to get too close to the edge.

Kim grimaced, cutting off her father's monologue.

"What is it Kimmie Cub?" he asked immediately. "What are you thinking?"

She schooled her features and smiled. "Just rehearsing the lecture that I'm going to give Mom when we find her," she said and moved to give her father a half hug. "Don't worry Dad, I'll find her."

Her father returned the hug, but gave her a sad look. "This shouldn't be your responsibility Kim."

She winched but quickly tried to hide it. "It's my responsibility," she said quietly. "This is what I do Dad. I can do this."

He didn't say anything. By now they had walked through the hospital and into the parking lot. They looked over to where Mrs. Dr. Possible's car stood and unconsciously shifted closer to each other. Dr. Possible put his hand in his daughter's back, frowning at the vehicle.

"We probably have to take it home," he said quietly. "The car can't stay here all the time."

Kim grimaced and reached behind her to take her father's hand in hers. "It's alright," she said quietly. "I'll ask GJ to do it. We might as well use them for something useful." She hesitated. "It's going to be alright Dad."

He smiled at her, sadly and brought his hand to hers to kiss it lightly.

"You shouldn't be the one reassuring me Kimmie Cub," he said quietly before turning his back on her mother's car. "I should be reassuring you."

&&&

She was still recovering from the sedative when they brought in another person. Dr. Ann Possible tried to sit up and rush over to the two orderlies pushing the gurney but was overcome by a sense of dizziness. She would've fallen down had Adrian Stewart not jumped up to steady her.

"Shhh," he hissed under his breath. "They won't tell you anything."

The two men didn't look at them but calmly put the woman on the first open bunk bed. She too had an IV and was dressed surgical clothes.

Ann glared at Adrian and pulled away from him, fighting to keep her own balance. "We can at least try," she growled at him. "I'm not going to bloody well sit here. How many other people are they going to bring in? Hey you!"

The orderlies ignored her shout and left the room before she could reach them. Ann stumbled forward at a run to grab one of them but they were too quick and slammed the door in her face. With a grunt of frustration Ann started banging at the door.

"Hey!" she yelled. "I demand to speak to someone! Hello?!"

Behind her Adrian shook his head and went to look at their new roommate. He took her pulse and looked at her pupils before shifting her into a more comfortable position. "She won't wake up for another hour at least," he said miserably. "You can stop that, I've tried it already. They didn't answer. There's some water on a table in the corner. Would you like some?"

Kicking the door, Ann closed her eyes and shook her head. "I have to think," she said quietly. "What is this? Why are we here?"

&&&

On the other side of the world from Middleton, it was already dark.

A young woman with pinned-up jet black hair and a faint green hue to her skin unlocked the door to her hotel suite and stepped inside, stretching as she did so. She winched slightly and touched her ribs through her off-the-shoulder dress before she rolled her eyes and stretched again, twisting her chest as she did so. With a painfully satisfied expression on her face, she tossed her purse on the sofa and slipped her hands into her hair. Within seconds, her hair fell down in a black wave to her waist. She tossed her hair clips to the sofa as well and shook her head before giving her scalp a very satisfying scratch. She slipped off her heels and went to the bathroom. When she came out several minutes later she came out dressed only in a pair of boxer shorts and an oversized t-shirt that read "I am the Stig."

Humming to herself, she went to the mini bar and got herself a large bottle of mineral water as well as a glass of red wine. It wasn't her first one and although she knew that the water wouldn't save her from the inevitable hangover she would have the next morning she figured that it would at least stop her from putting herself out of her misery.

She went over to the bedroom and put the glass of wine on her bedside table. Her laptop was still on the bed as she had left it when she went out. She considered turning it off but decided to quickly check her emails. She was still on holiday, _sick leave_ though she refused to call it that, but she liked to keep an eye on her world. Her emails were unexciting, a couple of forwarded messages that she never read and one or two potential temporary jobs that she had to turn down.

The latter was very vexing, but there was nothing she could do about it. Although she would never confess to it, she silently recognized her need to take a break. She just refused to call it sick leave.

_Drakken be damned__..._

She was about to turn off her computer when she decided to take one last minute detour through cyberspace. She didn't need to type in the website as it was logged underneath her favourites. It's been there for a while because she liked to think that it provided her with a strategic advantage. It was good to keep an eye on Kim Possible's world.

She was about to reach for her wine when her eye caught a notice right on the first page. She blinked and frowned, glancing at her bedside clock before reading the notice again.

She sniffed and clicked her tongue.

"Now what dumb schmuck has gone and done that," she whispered softly and reached for her mobile...

&&&

_You've been lucky so far you know, _a voice whispered to her from the past, _the criminals she faces are nine-to-five kind of people who take weekends off and play relatively nicely. Do you have any idea what will happen the day one of them decides to go after her personally, or you, or your sons or your darling husband? Tell me, why do you allow it?_

Ann sat against the door of their cell, watching as Adrian carefully guided their new companion to consciousness. He did it, she decided, because it was the one thing he felt as if he had some semblance of control over. As an anaesthesiologist he felt comfortable with this role and knew what to expect. It was quite unlike the situation they found themselves in.

Ever since they had brought the new woman in, Ann had been trying to reason out why they were here. Shego's words had been the first thing on her mind, her memories drawing her back to that fateful day she found herself next to the dying woman's side. Shego might not have known it or remember it, but she had hit several sore points in that brief but electric conversation that they had had. It was as if she had seen the fear in Ann's soul and gave words to it, as if she had dragged out every last worry that kept her up so many nights. She wasn't surprised that her first thought was that she had been kidnapped by one of Kim's enemies.

Shego had all but predicted it.

After her initial panic subsided though, she realized that something wasn't quite right with that assumption. If she had been kidnapped because of her daughter surely it would've been her husband and not a couple of strangers who would've joined her. Although she couldn't be one hundred percent sure, she could venture a guess that Kim had never met one Andrew Stewart or this other woman for that matter.

She glanced up to see Adrian pull the younger woman up, her pale face a stark contrast to her dark brunette hair.

"I'm... an assistant," she was saying softly – her voice still heavy with sleep. "I just came home when... Where am I?"

Ann frowned and pushed herself up, relieved to find that her legs were more trustworthy.  
"What kind of an assistant?" she queried and joined Adrian.

The young woman swallowed and took a steadying breath. "Surgical," she said. "I'm a nurse at..." She shook her head. "Where am I?"

Ann felt her heart rate increase as she stood up and stepped back. "He'll tell you what we know," she said quickly and went back to the other side of the room. She paced up and down for a bit, before she turned to her bewildered companions.

"I think I know why we're here," she breathed. "They are putting together an operating team..."

&&&

"I can tell you where the ambulance went," Wade said. "But going there won't help you."

Kim and Ron glanced at each other and moved together closer on the couch so that they could both look at the Kimmunicator. They had escaped to the old tree house. Dr. Director had ordered the rest of her family to be under constant protection which means that her whole house was overrun by GJ agents. Under the circumstances, Kim appreciated the sentiment because it meant that she didn't have to worry about them. But, the agents served to be a distraction as well. Every time the Kimmunicator beeped at least three of them would stand closer to her, or just happen to be in the area. Kim had realized that she wouldn't put it past Dr. Director to find some way to keep her here.

The woman was determined to keep her barking on the sidelines.

"Where did it go to?" Kim queried. "Rufus, could you make sure nobody's listening to us?"

The naked mole rat saluted her and quickly scrambled around the tree house to look out all of the windows and hatches.

"A private airstrip just outside Middleton," Wade said. "From there they could've flown her anywhere in the country or even the world. I think we'd waste our time going there, so I've send a hint to Global Justice. If there's anything to be found, they'll do it."

Kim growled softly and shook her head. "But what are we supposed to do then?" she queried. "I hate to sound silly, but I don't want to stay here the whole time. I'd rather go look at nothing somewhere else than nothing here."

Wade smiled in a way that made her heart leap with promise. "I know," Wade said. "That's why _I_ think that we should make another detour. I spoke to your mother's secretary again."

Ron frowned. "I thought that she didn't know anything," he spoke up as Rufus jumped back onto his lap and gave the two of them a thumb's up sign. Wade nodded at the mole rat then turned to his friends.

"She didn't remember anything suspicious about yesterday," he said. "But the day _before_ your mother had two patients that seemed to have upset her very much."

Kim blinked and sat forward. "Anybody we know?"

Wade didn't nod immediately but sat back and spread his hands. "A father and son came to see her and she described them as 'possibly European'. The father wanted your mother to change his son's personality because the boy was too soft. Basically, he wanted his son to be more evil so that he would be a better person to take over his father's company one day."

Kim sat back, feeling as if the wind had been knocked out from her. "Does Global Justice know this?" she queried softly.

Wade grinned and shook his head. "It's all ours. I assume then you're thinking of the same people as I am?"

Kim shared an ecstatic look with Ron. "The Senior's," they said together. "It can only be the Seniors."

&&&

_To Be Continued__..._

_AN: And I'm back! __Live from London so to stay where I've seen Judi Dench live! Very cool._

_Anyway, on that note – I'm leaving for a self planned of Australia next week. Although I'm going to take my computer with me, I'm not sure how much time I'll get for writing so, if you don't hear from me – don't worry I haven't died, I'm just running after some kangaroo somewhere. I'll try and get back to this as soon as I can. ____ I apologize for being a globe trotter! ;) _

_Thank you for coming back again and thank you for the reviews as always! _

_Alyssa _


	5. The Operation

**Chapter 05: The Operation. **

It made a frighteningly amount of sense, more so in fact than a super villain holding her hostage to try and manipulate her daughter.

Dr. Ann Possible stared at her fellow captives, her heart beating almost audibly in her chest. She licked her lips and abruptly decided that she needed to drink some water. They watched her move to the table and take one of the mineral water bottles. Adrian's blue eyes were troubled as he watched her. Sandra Johnston on the other hand, a surgical assistant from one of Upperton's leading hospitals, was slumped against the wall - her darker eyes watching Ann as she paced back to stand in front of them. She had not responded well to the sedative they used on her and had so far thrown up twice. Adrian had tried to coach some water into her as well but she waved it off and rather pushed herself against the wall, clutching the plastic bucket. Ann hadn't noticed it in the beginning but there was a small bathroom hidden in the corner of the room. Their accommodation, she decided, was basic but not uncomfortable. The only thing that she could really have done with was a change of clothes.

Taking a sip from the bottle of water, Ann turned back to her companions and started pacing again.

"Yesterday," she said quickly, "or the day before – I'm not entirely sure of time at this stage..." She glanced at her watch. "Two days ago I had an appointment with a father and son. The father, a man calling himself Mr. Monsieur, wanted me to do a lobotomy on his son."

Adrian's reaction was very similar to hers had been the first time. He blinked and sat back with an incredulous expression. "Excuse me?" He said, taken aback.

Ann swallowed. "A lobotomy," she said again. "He wanted to do it so that I could alter his son's nature. His personality."

Adrian still couldn't believe what he was hearing. "Was the boy ill?" he queried. "And, what does this have to do with our current situation?"

She bid him to be patient with a motion from her hand and glanced at Sandra. Against all the odds the woman seemed to have gone a shade paler and hugging the bucket to her chest. "Are you alright?" Ann queried softly.

The brunette nodded weakly but didn't look at her. When Adrian tried to move closer to her, she waved him off and tried to press herself tighter against the wall. Ann gave her a sympathetic look before continuing.

"The boy was fine," she said. "The father didn't like his 'soft' nature. He wanted him to be more aggressive."

From her corner, Sandra gave a snort. "So, he wanted to do that by giving him brain damage?" she queried. "That's ridiculous."

Ann gave her an encouraging smile. "Yes," she agreed. "It is ridiculous, but the man was _very_ insistent. When I realized that he wasn't pulling my leg I send him away. He seemed disappointed about my decision not to do it, but now that I think of it he was cool and resolute as well. Like the kind of man who was not use to being denied. I went home with a very uneasy feeling that night."

Sandra didn't say anything, but leaned over her bucket as if she wanted to throw up again. Adrian on the other hand shook his head and stood up as if to walk away. He then looked around the room and sat back down again. Ann frowned at him to see if he wanted to comment but when he didn't she continued.

"I think that we've been taken by that father," she said. "I think that we're enjoying the hospitality of Mr. Monsieur."

Sandra looked lost as she raised her head briefly from the bucket. "But why?" she demanded. "What use are we here? Why are we here?"

Ann took another sip of water to combat the rapid dry feeling that was spreading in her mouth. "We're here to operate on his son," she said simply, "with or without our or the boy's consent. My daughter has many enemies and..."

Adrian leapt up again. "So this is her fault?!" he demanded.

Ann quickly shook her head and held up her hands. "No!" she said. "What I was going to say is that she has many enemies, villains, and I seem to remember her saying something about a father and son. This might well be them."

The other woman closed her eyes and shook her head before lowering it so that her forehead rested on the rim of the bucket. "Wouldn't you recognize them?" she queried.

Ann sighed softly and shook her head. "I try not to... Get too involved," she said. "It's... better to..." She couldn't finish the sentence in front of these strangers. "All I know is that we're all here—a neurosurgeon, an anaesthesiologist and a surgical assistant—and can, in a pinch, perform the operation with such a small team. You, Adrian, you're one of the best in your field. I remember the time that I worked with you I walked away thinking that you were among the best. And Sandra, are you highly recommended?"

The woman's pale cheeks coloured for a few seconds as she raised her head. "I just do my job," she said with a hint of pride in her voice. "I have worked with some of the best. Except for you, of course, Dr. Possible but I've heard that you stand high among them."

Ann nodded, feeling victorious as the last pieces fell into place. "They assembled the best team possible," she said quietly. "For something like this... You need it." She shook her head. "This man, this villain, he wants us to change his son."

The door opened suddenly to the sound of someone clapping their hands. Ann, who was standing with her back to it, jumped and turned around surprised, dropping her water as she did so.

"Bravo Dr. Possible," the old man who had come to see her in her office said as he walked in, clapping his hands. "I was hoping that you would have figured it out by the time I come. It's always nice if you don't have to explain yourself."

Ann stared at him, her mind frozen for a few seconds before she stood up straight. "I won't do it," she said automatically before the man could say another word. "So, I suggest you send us home right now or else..."

The man chuckled softly and stood aside to allow another person to come into the room. The woman who Ann vaguely recognized as the paramedic that had kidnapped her stepped into the room with a capped syringe in her hand. She was wearing a white lab coat this time and her curly blond hair was pulled back in a loose ponytail. Ann instinctively shied away from her but it wasn't she the woman was interested in. With a surprisingly kind smile she went to kneel next to Sandra and touched the woman's arm, placing the syringe on the bed next to her. The surgical assistant flinched at her touch and tried to move but the wall was in her way.

"What is that?!" Adrian stood up, his eyes fierce as he regarded the two women, the old man forgotten. The blond woman glanced at him and at Ann before she smiled and rolled up Sandra's sleeve after making a soothing sound to the woman.

"Compazine," she said as she took an alcohol swab from her pocket and opened it. "For nausea." She touched Sandra's arm and, without waiting for permission, cleaned a place on her shoulder. "I'm sorry for the inconvenience Mrs. Johnston."

Sandra flinched at her name and flinched again when the woman uncapped the needle but she didn't protest when she injected her.

Ann watched numbly as the blond woman rubbed the place that she injected and gave Sandra an encouraging smile before she stood up and put the needle into a small and previously unnoticed slot in the wall. Smiling at her and Adrian, she moved to Mr. Monsieur's side.

_So smooth,_ Ann thought quietly as the unease in her heart grew. _She could've injected her with anything and we just stood here..._

Unable to look at Sandra she turned to the old man instead and balled her fists. "I know what you're going to ask," she said again before they could speak. "And I won't do it. I told you in my office, I won't operate on your son. So you can just send us home or..."

The man who called himself Mr. Monsieur raised an amused eyebrow and unhooked a cane from his arm to lean on it. "Or else what, Dr. Possible?" he queried smoothly. "Your daughter will come for us?"

Ann bit her lip but resolved to keep her face neutral. "Yes," she said simply. To her irritation, the old man laughed.

"Ah yes," he said smoothly. "The formidable Kim Possible. I have... heard so much about her. But, you see Dr. Possible – your words, they do not fill me with dread. They cannot be used as a threat because, in truth, your daughter still needs to _find_ us. And, you forget - she's out there _right now_ while you are in here _right now._ That changes the bargaining field, don't you think?"

&&&

Salt water splashed up from the bow of the boat as it raced across the ocean and the drone of the engine sounded unnaturally loud in her ears. When Kim Possible scanned the horizon she could just make out a speck of land. _We're close_, she thought as she felt the familiar thrill of adrenaline tighten in her chest. _This should be a piece of cake... We've done this a million times._

She glanced at Ron who was, as usual, clinging to the side of the ship, his face pale with seasickness. His stomach made a very fickle travel companion at the best of times. If it wasn't insisting that he stuffed himself with food it was quite happily getting rid of it all. She gave him an encouraging smile and inched closer to the helm.

"Thank you for the lift Patrick!" She yelled above the noise of the engine. "I really appreciate it on such short notice."

The suntanned man, with his easy smile and sun bleached hair smiled at her as he expertly kept the boat on course. "Think nothing of it!" he called above the clamour. "It's the least I can do after you got me that race map with the shallow reefs on it!"

Kim chuckled softly. "It was _so_ not the drama," she said. "I'm just glad I managed to identify your boat amongst your competitions! I was thinking - you don't have to take us too close to the island. I don't want the Seniors to be alerted to our presence too quickly! We've got other transport as well."

Patrick gave her a 'thumbs up' sign. "Just tell me when you want me to stop."

Kim nodded and moved to Ron and gently touched his back. "Are you ready to abandon ship?" She asked. "How's Rufus doing?"

Her partner in crime fighting raised a pale face to hers. "Get me off this thing..." he begged, from his lap, Rufus uncurled from the miserable ball that he had pulled himself into and nodded weakly.

"Leave," the mole rat chimed. "Please..."

Kim smiled at them patronisingly. "I told you not to Grande size it," she said. "You always run into this sort of trouble."

Ron moaned weakly but visibly tried to pull himself together. "I don't like European food," he muttered. "And they don't have a BN at sea. You can't accuse me of thinking ahead."

"Hmm," Kim sat down next to her friend. "You just neglected to think past the meal. We're jumping off in 10 minutes. I think we should swim the rest of the way."

Ron's eyes went wide. "Swim?" he exclaimed sitting up. "KP! We're miles away from shore! We can only just see the island and..."

Kim laughed and patted his leg. "I meant play with our new toys," she said referring to the backpacks Wade had given them before they left. "Don't worry; I know you won't make it if we swam. I knew that thought would bring you round though."

Her sidekick glared at her, but looked decidedly better than a few seconds ago. "Speak for yourself for not making it," he said with faked irritation. "You're not the one who does all the running here."

Kim laughed again despite herself, grateful for her sidekick's presence. Unknowingly he managed to keep her thoughts grounded and also make her feel more confident that she could deal with the situation.

_This was just like any other mission, nothing will go wrong__..._

She went back to Patrick. "We'll bail in five minutes!" she said holding up her hand in case he didn't hear her properly. "You don't have to stop, just slow down to a speed that will be safe for us to get off. Thank you once again!"

Again, the man gave her a 'thumbs up' as he started to slow the boat down. "Anytime," he said. "Feel free to call on me again. You'll always have a place on my boat!"

Kim grinned and shouldered her backpack, double checking to make sure that Ron was doing the same. He was fumbling a bit with the few extra straps but Rufus quickly sorted it out for him. The naked mole rat had an expression much akin to motherly exasperation as he tightened Ron's backpack before he got into his own plastic ball. Ron smiled his thanks and closed the ball for his little buddy.

Kim took a steadying breath to still her nerves and called up Wade. The super genius appeared on the screen immediately his gaze alert as he tried to see behind the Kimmunicator's camera.

"Are you there?" he queried.

Kim nodded, feeling her tension seeping back. "Yes, Ron and I will get off the moment I finish this conversation. What can you tell me about the Seniors' current security system?"

Wade called up a few diagrams for her to look at, his face pinched in a frown. "Not a lot," he admitted. "They don't have anything new to worry about, just the usual spinning tops of doom, heat seeking missiles, and motion tracking lasers. I found a receipt made out to them form a local fishery company. They had to pay them to remove the shark that they had in the underground tunnel. I can't work out whether it died or killed one of their servants."

Kim shuddered. "We'll have to look into that," she said. "That's... Have they found a replacement or something?"

Wade shrugged. "They have someone coming out next week to fit a new security system." He paused. "Why are you frowning?"

Kim didn't realize that she had showed her emotions and quickly schooled her face to calm. "I just found it a bit strange that they..." She shrugged, feeling uncomfortable. "I'd have expected that they would've felt more pressured to have it done this week. To fix the security system I mean. They have my mother; surely they must be expecting me. Are we sure that they are here?"

Wade nodded. "Junior's Teen Pop magazine is still being delivered here," he said. "I hacked into their database. It's the easiest way to track them; I don't think he's ever gone a week without reading it."

That knowledge brought some comfort to Kim. "That's true," she said. "Thanks Wade. Beep me if you find anything else. Otherwise, would you suggest going in as usual?"

Wade nodded. "Play it by ear," he suggested. "You can never equate all the variables. Oh, there's something else I wanted to tell you Kim." He quickly typed a few things on his computer, bringing up to photos. "These two people have also gone missing. One's a Dr. Adrian Stewart, an anaesthesiologist, and the other is a registered nurse, Mrs. Sandra Johnston. Mrs. Johnston's husband reported her missing and, like your mom, Dr. Stewart didn't show up for work. Keep an eye out for them; I won't be surprised if it's related to your mother's disappearance."

Blinking at the knowledge, Kim nodded. "Will do, Wade," she said. "Thank you for the head's up, I'll keep an eye open. We'll call you when we have my mom or when we need help. Has Global Justice cottoned on to where we've disappeared to?"

The boy shook his head. "No," he said. "They haven't moved at all really. I haven't heard anything from Dr. Director."

Kim raised an eyebrow and glanced at Ron. The boat was slowing down and she knew that it was time for them to leave. "Just keep an eye on them," she said. "I was thinking that, when we have my mother, we can call them to come and bring us out. I don't think that she will want to hang around here any longer than she has to." She sniffed. "_I _don't want her hanging around for that long."

Wade nodded his consent and raised his hand. "Keep in touch and good luck," he said before he switched off the connection.

Kim took a deep breath and slipped her Kimmunicator back into its pocket. She unzipped another pocket from the backpack and pulled a scuba mask over her face. Ron, taking his cue from her, did the same as Patrick slowed the boat. When he gave them the signal, Kim waved at him and dove off of the edge of the boat. Mid-air she pulled a cord that activated a water rocket that Wade had build into their backpacks and used it to resurface – just in time to see Ron make a painful belly flop off his side of the boat. She winched for his sake and made sure that he surfaced to show her that he was alright. He didn't do so for several moments and was about to go to his aid when he suddenly appeared right in front of her, jumping out of the water like a dolphin as he struggled to get his pack under control. By some fluke of luck, he managed to get it pointing in the direction of the island. Kim gave Patrick a final wave before she submerged and followed her friend, knowing (or rather hoping) that he would get the gadget under control before they reached the villain's lair.

&&&

The old man decided to give them a tour of his facility.

Ann found herself trudging behind him numbly, her eyes fixed on his and the blond woman's backs. He had introduced her as Caroline Hewitt, his personal physician and assistant. She was a painfully calm and cheerful woman, who seemed to take their distress in an indifferent stride. Behind them came two of Mr. Monsieur's henchmen – stony faced guards with large stun-lances.

After his subtle threat, Mr. Monsieur had left the room, only to return once Sandra seemed to be feeling better to bid them to come with him. They hadn't had much of a choice and followed him doggedly down the nondescript gray corridor that had no windows and a few locked doors much like the one that they had come from. Ann tried to find some hint as to where they were or look at possible escape routes, but she was aware of the fact that she probably didn't have her daughter's experience in such matters. It shamed her how much she clung to the thought that Kim would come and save them, especially considering how much she actually feared for her daughter when she went out on missions. She tried to recall everything that she could of her daughter's enemies, especially the father and son team but she soon admitted to herself that she had not paid enough attention to her daughter's crime fighting career. Her only care had always been whether or not her daughter returned home in one piece or not. The rest seemed very trivial compared to that. It was hard to admit, but the only option she had left was to hold on until Kim came for them and she tried to reassure her fellow captives of the same.

"I can't tell you how excited I am to have you all here," Mr. Monsieur's accented voice cut through her thoughts as he spoke up for the first time since they left their room. "I've read some articles and reviews from various surgeons, Mrs. Johnston, and in all of them that you are mentioned, you are spoken very highly of and highly recommended, highly recommended indeed."

Sandra nodded stiffly. She looked far better than she had when she woke up, but still shied away when ever anybody tried to touch her and hardly spoke to Ann or Adrian. The anaesthesiologist, on the other hand, tried very hard to appear confident but failed every time his shoulders slumped and he cast a nervous look around them. Ann reasoned that she probably looked the same though she would've hoped that she rather looked cool and aloof.

"And, Dr. Stewart..." Mr. Monsieur turned back to smile that the man, pausing in his walk. "You might not remember but we have met before." He patted his knee. "You must understand - I feel more comfortable knowing that my son will be attended to by someone who has watched over me."

Adrian stiffened and ran his hand over his head in a nervous gesture. "Which year did I see to you?" he queried carefully. "I have done quite a lot of knee replacements in my career."

Mr. Monsieur chuckled and shared a look with Caroline. "The timing does not matter," he said. "What matters is that I know and trust you and it helps that you have worked with Dr. Possible." At last, he turned his attention to the neurosurgeon. He didn't say anything, but smiled at her in the calmest of ways.

Ann straightened her back immediately and stared down at the man, wishing that she had the security of her white lab coat. He continued to smile at her and shifted his weight to his cane in the slightest of movements.

"Dr. Possible, of course," he said calmly, "is the star of our show. She is the one who will make this all happen."

Ann sniffed, feeling a wave of anger wash over her. "This is not a show!" She snapped. Sandra flinched at her tone and took a step away from her whereas Adrian took a step closer in an attempt to calm her. "It's a macabre act. I told you, Mr. Monsieur, I won't do it."

The man merely smiled at her and shrugged before he continued walking. "You will be convinced," he said. "Come. Let me show you where you will be working. I have spared no expense. You'll have the very best equipment to your disposal and any assistance that you require. Caroline has volunteered to help you anywhere where you need her to be. She will be the main caretaker for my son after the operation, so I would appreciate it if you tell her as much as you can."

Still simmering, Ann had no choice but to follow the man again, listening to the others sombre footsteps as they fell in behind her.

"I have a question," she said, folding her hands in front of her in substitute to putting them in her pockets. "Where are we?"

Mr. Monsieur glanced at her and shook his head, spreading his one hand down the corridor. "Does it matter?" he queried. "I can assure you that after the operation you will all be returned home safely. When my son is well enough that is."

Adrian let out a slow breath and shook his head behind Ann. "I have to say, Mr. Monsieur," he said carefully. "I haven't seen your son and you didn't approach me personally as you have Dr. Possible, so this is all very new for me to digest. But, I have to say, I'm not comfortable with what's being suggested." When Mr. Monsieur glanced at him he held up his hand quickly. "But, I don't know what the situation is."

Ann glared at her companion and then glanced at Sandra. The nurse had grimaced but didn't say anything. Rather, she stepped up to Ann so that she could be closer to the two people leading them.

"When can we go home?" She asked - her voice too neutral to be called calm. "I have a husband. Family. They'll be concerned."

Mr. Monsieur turned back to give her a fatherly smile. "The moment you are done with my son," he said and stopped by a door that Caroline opened for him immediately. "Here we are." They stepped into a fully furnished living room.

Their shock must've shown very clearly on their faces because Caroline laughed; her tone unsettlingly pleasant. "Mr. Monsieur wanted you to work on his son immediately," she intoned. "But, I had explained to him that, especially in Dr. Possible's case, I think it would be appropriate if you rest for at least twenty four hours after the sedative has worn off." She motioned around the room. "You'll find everything that you need here, a bigger bathroom, some fresh clothes..." She motioned to the table at the centre. "Here is a full history on Mr. Monsieur's son's health and all the recent scans and tests that were done. I'm afraid there are only two bedrooms leading out of this room, so two of you will have to share." She glanced at Sandra and Ann. "If you need anything, don't hesitate to just knock on the door and ask for me. I'm at your service."

She stepped out again and only then did the three realize that Mr. Monsieur had already left them. Sandra looked around the room then quickly tried to step back outside.

"Please," she begged in a quiet voice, looking at Caroline. "Please, can I just let my husband know that I'm alright? Or my parents. Just... We don't have to tell them where we are, I just _need_ to tell them that I'm alright."

Caroline shook her head with genuine sympathy. "I'm sorry," she said again. "But, that is not possible. I can assure you though; we won't keep you longer than necessary." She made a quick motion to the guards and stepped away from the door so that they could close it.

Sandra's eyes went wide and she stepped up to it hurriedly, trying to grab the door. "No wait!" she called. "Fucking hell, wait! I want to speak to my family! You can't do this to us!" When there was no answer she whirled around and to point a threatening finger at Ann. "What have you gotten us into?"

Surprised by the sudden emotion in the previously timid woman's demeanour, Ann held up her hands and took a step back.

"This is not my doing Sandra," she said quietly. "I promise you, I had nothing to do with this."

Adrian carefully stepped up to the nurse's side and tried to lay a comforting hand on her shoulder. "She's right Sandra," he said calmly. "Please calm down, we have to think – use our heads." He glanced at Ann. "Cooperate with them as much as we can."

The red headed woman snorted. "I won't go that far," she said. "But, you have to understand, this is a good thing. They are going to leave us for twenty four hours at least." She lowered her voice. "That's perfect because that gives those looking for us more time to find us." Her tone grew in confidence. "I know my daughter and she's on her way here right now. We just have to have faith."

&&&

_To Be Continued__..._

_AN: And a warm wintery welcome from the Land Down Under. Home of Kangaroos, Cockatoos, Kookaburras, Koalas and your resident author. Have you ever noticed how anything worth mentioning form Aus starts with a K? No humans you tell me, well, lol, I'm interested in the local wildlife. No, and that would not include the Aussie parliament (though today the news report has been hilarious…) _

_But, I'm side tracking even before I start. Hello everybody! I got a space to write in on my backpacking and decided to make the most of it. I hope that this chapter finds you all well. There's not much that I can comment on other than once again mentioning my Beta, Tenchii Knight. I would like to thank him for his comments, his patience, his speed and his ideas as well as helpful information when I'm either to lazy or ignorant to think. Thank you my friend, it's really appreciated. _

_Again, I'm not sure when the next chapter will be written, but I hope that I'll have you all with me. Thank you for all the reviews! Now and in the past… (hint hint). ;)  
Alyss _

_--;-3_


	6. Busted

**Chapter 06: Busted. **

The shark may have been dead or missing, but the alligator certainly wasn't.

Kim was aware of two things as she ran down the slippery narrow path of the tunnel she and Ron had used to get into the Senor's private island. One was Ron's insistent screaming for help and the second was the huge reptile he was riding. She glanced behind her to see him clinging to its back as it stormed towards her then looked around for a way to avoiding certain death.

"KP! Help!" Ron shouted as he almost slipped off of the scaly creature. "KP!"

Kim almost lost her footing and struggled to keep up the running pace. According to her biology class, alligators could run faster than people on land and she suspected the only thing that saved her was the fact that the alligator was overweight.

"I'm trying Ron!" She yelled back as she got her footing. "But, may I remind you that I'm the one being chased! Can't you stop it or something?!"

They hit some loose rocks that made Ron exclaim out loud as he was bounced about. "It is not a pony!" He yelled. "I can't just pull on his reins and shout: STOP! STOP! And it will stop!"

The creature skidded to a halt, causing Ron to blink as he sat back, narrowly avoiding flying over the reptile's head. "Or," he said softly, looking at his best friend. "Maybe I can... AAH!"

The alligator suddenly seemed to realize that it had someone on its back because it let out a primal growl and started spinning around, trying hard to get at Ron. Kim's yell of surprise was drowned out by the fierce noise of the creature. The fact that it spun gave her time to get her bearings though, as the teeth were no longer focused on her but on her sidekick. Kim looked around quickly and saw a niche in the wall. She drew out her hairdryer and shot the grapple into gap and allowed it to pull her forward into Ron. When she reached him she grabbed him by the belt and pulled him off of the alligator. The hairdryer pulled them up into the air out of the creature's grasp. Kim grunted as she tried to pull Ron up as well as hold onto the gadget and quickly nudged her friend with her foot.

"Hold onto me," she said with her voice strained. "I can't keep us both up with one hand."

Ron, panting with panic, quickly reached up and grabbed her leg with his one arm, then after a moment or two, grabbed her other leg as well. Kim let go of his belt but quickly grabbed his backpack as his legs swung down. "Climb higher," she said and pulled at his backpack. "My pants might slip..."

She felt Ron put his hand on her ass as he slowly inched up. His next grip was around her middle, then her chest and finally, around her shoulders and neck. He struggled to position himself then quickly grabbed her around the middle as well. Kim let him go when she was sure he was alright and quickly grabbed the hairdryer with both hands, silently thanking her cheerleading practice.

"Is it gone?" Ron asked as he clung to her. "Can crocodiles jump?!"

Kim struggled to see past his head and glanced around. "Not this one," she said when she spotted the creature. "It's looking for us and it's an alligator. Now stop moving, Ron!"

Her sidekick stopped trying to see the alligator for himself and settled down, resting his head on her shoulder. For a few moments the only sounds in the cave were the scratching of the alligator's nails on the stone as it turned around trying to find them and her and Ron's breathing. Kim became aware of how close Ron had pulled himself to her.

_If we were lying down,_ she thought bitterly, _we would look like lovers. His chest against mine, my legs around him..._ She sighed, wishing with all her heart that she could feel a scrap of physical attraction towards her best friend but it just wasn't there. Unbidden, her thoughts returned to Shego and the way she had held her when she was still in hospital. The woman's smell, the woman's light touch...

"We'll find your mom KP," Ron whispered softly, his voice close to her ear. "Don't worry about it. Tomorrow, this will all just be a bad memory."

Kim sighed again and briefly rested her head against Ron's. "I know," she said as she heard a splash of water. By her guess the alligator had jumped back into the stream running next to the walkway. "I'm not worried about that Ron. I'm just..." She couldn't tell him, she just couldn't. The thought hurt her because up until now they had had very little secrets from each other. Now, since Shego's illness, things had slowly but surely started to change.

_We're growing up,_ she tried to justify herself. _And changing, things are bound to be different._

The thought didn't bring her a lot of comfort. Unable to stand the sudden closeness of her friend she glanced down again to make sure that the alligator wasn't close by and started to try and swing the rope. Ron, catching onto what she was doing, helped her pick up momentum. When they managed to get the rope swinging over the walkway Kim let the hair dryer's grapple retract. They crashed down together in a tangle of limbs and hairdryer cable. Kim untangled herself immediately, grabbed her hairdryer in one hand and her sidekick in the other and yanked both up.

"Let's go before it comes back!" she hissed at Ron and started running down the passageway. "We are so not bringing my mom out this way..."

&&&

"Dr. Possible?" She heard the name but didn't immediately grasp that she was being addressed. Instead, she numbly turned over another page from the folder that she was reading and studied the CT scan results.

"Ann?" This time, she felt a hand on her shoulder. Ann was startled up out of her thoughts and glanced at Adrian who was holding a cup of tea in her direction. She smiled at him in thanks and carefully took the hot drink from his hands. She was ready to go back to reading when he slipped in next to her on the couch.

"Ann," he said softly. "You should rest for a bit, both Sandra and I have had a nap. You'll feel better for it."

Ann sighed softly and closed the file, taking note of where she was.

"I'm not tired Adrian," she said and took a sip of her tea. "And, I don't want to lie down with my thoughts, it's better to focus on something else."

The doctor grimaced and motioned to the file in Ann's hand. "Getting to know your patient?" he queried.

Ann glared and shook her head. "I'm not going to operate on the boy Adrian," she said sharply. "To do this would be monstrous."

Adrian snorted slightly, though Ann couldn't tell whether it was because he agreed or disagreed with her. "The pace that you've been working through those files would suggest otherwise," he pointed out. "I think you've read them all Ann."

Taking another sip of tea, Ann shrugged. "I told you," she said. "I'm thinking. I'm trying to..." She hesitated. "Try and understand what's happening I guess. I keep thinking, what kind of a parent would do this to his own son. Villain or no, there is such a thing as family love and loyalty. They don't say that blood is thicker than water for nothing."

The anaesthesiologist raised an eyebrow and shrugged. "I don't have children," he confessed. "But, I can't imagine that if I had that I would want to risk my child in such a way."

Ann nodded, her throat tightening with sudden emotion. "Exactly," she said trying to keep calm. "I love my children even if they drive me mad sometimes. I would hate to curb their spirit or take away their individuality."

Her companion smiled dryly for a few seconds. "Yes," he intoned bitterly. "Why take away the world's pleasure?"

Ann gave him a look but smiled as well. Before she could say anything he continued quickly, his face sombre. "Are you sure your daughter will come for us?"

She nodded confidently and reached out to lay a gentle hand on the man's leg. "Yes," she said. "Without a doubt Adrian, my daughter does this sort of thing all the time."

He nodded but didn't seem convinced. Ann sighed softly and drained her tea. She got up and patted the man on his shoulder. "Maybe a nap doesn't sound like such a bad idea after all," she said quietly. "Don't worry Adrian, this won't come to anything."

The man's eyes were dark despite their pale colour as he looked at her. "What if it does Ann?" he queried softly. "What if your daughter is not in time? Will you operate?"

Ann bit her lip but quickly schooled her face to calm. "We took an oath," she said quietly as she met Adrian's fearful gaze. "First do no harm. I intend to keep that oath Adrian; I will not touch that boy."

&&&

Avoiding the Spinning Tops of Doom were a lot easier than avoiding the alligator. Kim and Ron ran across the room, their eyes fixed on the two deadly traps coming their way.

"On this course," Kim yelled above the noise the blades were making, "they'll collide!"

Ron made a considering sound and almost stumbled. "I don't know KP!" He yelled. "Do we really want to let them? They'll cause quite a lot of damage that way. Poor Senor Senior must be pretty tired of repairing this room and the insurance must be hell."

Kim rolled her eyes and pulled him back without warning and made him run in the opposite direction. The tops whizzed by them and collided with an almighty crash of twisting and tearing metal. Kim threw her sidekick to the ground to avoid the shrapnel that peppered the room and glared at him.

"Believe me Ron," she said when she pulled him up. "This is the least of their worries." She pulled out her Kimmunicator and called her other team mate. "Wade?"

He appeared on the screen, as always looking mildly relieved that they were in one piece. "They are in the next room," he answered her unspoken question. "They seem to be alone; I haven't been able to determine where your mother is being kept, I'll keep searching."

Kim nodded and glanced at the door leading out of the room. "Please and thank you Wade," she said and put the device away. "Come on Ron." She started running across the room, not waiting for her sidekick. "We almost have them."

They quickly made their way to the door and were about to open it when someone suddenly opened it from the other side. In all her time of fighting the villain, Kim had never seen Señor Senior Senior look so surprised.

"Kim Possible?!" he exclaimed with Drakken like shock. "What are you doing here?"

A bit thrown by his surprise Kim assumed a defensive position. "A family matter," she said. "I've come for my mother. Where is she?"

The old man shifted his weight to his cane and frowned at her. "Your mother?" he queried surprised. "Kimberlee, how should I know?"

Kim frowned at him and balled her fists. "Because you kidnapped her a few days ago," she snapped. "Now, where is she? And don't mess around; Global Justice is on their way."

Again, Señor Senior looked very confused. He glanced back behind him and made a motion with his hand. "Maybe then they can help to sort things out," he said in a calm voice. "I can assure you Kimberlee Ann, I don't know what you're talking about, but – I'll ask my son and see if this is his doing. Junior?"

They waited for several tense moments, until it became clear that the boy would not show up. The older man sighed exasperated and motioned to them to wait.

"I'll be right back," he said as he turned around. "Junior! Put that mirror down!"

There was a pause and then a very whiny "Ah, but Father..." resounding through the room. Kim and Ron frowned at each other and walked closer to the door to see what was going on. Junior had been sitting underneath some sun lights working on his tan and didn't seem to be interested at all in what his father had to say. Senor Senior had switched over to Spanish and was waving his hands around a lot but it didn't encourage Junior to pay him more attention.

Ron frowned at the spectacle and leaned closer to Kim. "Call me over observant," he said softly. "But they seem very calm. As if we interrupted family time or something." When Kim glanced at him he shrugged uncomfortably. "They would've been more on their guard if your mother was here."  
Kim glared at him and shook her head. "My mother must be here!" She snapped and marched through the door. "Junior!"

The villain-to-be glanced up and looked at her. "Ah!" he exclaimed. "My blue fox!"

Closing her eyes at the memory, Kim bit her lip and schooled her face to calm. "Did you kidnap my mother?"

The young man raised a perfectly shaped eyebrow and shook his head. "No," he said thoughtfully. "Is she hot?"

Her gasp was overshadowed by Ron's unbidden. "Yes..." as he came up behind her. Kim's mouth dropped open and gave Ron a hard shove with her elbow.

"Ron!" she snapped as Junior's eyes brightened.

"Good!" The young man exclaimed. "Then, perhaps Father you can marry her? That way my blue fox and I, we can live in the same house and discover..." His father stopped the rest of his sentence with a quick hand on his leg as he kept an eye on Kim. The teenager did not look happy.

"Perhaps we should go to my office," he said. "There you can explain to me why you are in my home..."

&&&

"So," Senior Senor said later when they were in his office, "let me get this straight. Someone has kidnapped your mother, a father and son pair by your guess, and you automatically assumed that it is me and my son?" He poured out three cups of tea and brought it over to where Kim and Ron were sitting behind his desk. He handed each of them one before he sat down on the opposite side.

Ron sniffed at the tea and grimaced. "Duh dude," he said. "How many other father and son villain pairs are there? Your tea smells funny."

The old man snorted and stirred his with a teaspoon. "It's Earl Gray," he said dryly before he looked at Kim who sat very still with hers. "I'm going to say this again for the record, I did not take your mother Kimberlee Ann. It was not I and my son who have done this, and we are not the only villainous family out there."

She didn't look at him, nor make any comment. Ron frowned at her as he watched her stare at her tea and turned back to the old man.

"You're the only one we know that's got such a distinctive description," he pointed out. "Seriously dude, I won't be surprised if Kim's mom is down here somewhere and you are just trying to distract us. You've deceived us once before at the X-Games."

Senior Senor snorted and sat up straighter, putting his tea down on the desk. "That was completely different," he said. "Think about it boy, what do I have to gain from kidnapping your friend's mother?"

Again Ron glanced at Kim but she was still just staring at her tea, her eyes lost in thought. He sniffed and put his own tea down. He wasn't going to drink some Duke's tea.

"Blackmail?" he pointed out. "Power over Kim? She'd do anything to get her mother back, you could use that."

The old man actually laughed. "Ah, Ron Stoppable," he said with a smile. "You were born to be a villain, do you know that? But no my dear boy, although your suggestions have been helpful in the past, this is not one of those moments. Kidnapping Kim's mother would cross a line that I am not even willing to touch."

Ron's eyes narrows. "What do you mean?" He queried. "I don't understand."

Senior Senor sighed softly and spread his hands wide. "Despite the fact that he is quite a lazy and foolish boy at times," he said dryly. "I love my son. If I touch Kim Possible's family I can almost assure you that the authorities will make sure that I never see him again. It is as simple as that. If we are caught, we will be sent to different jails, serving different sentences..." He trailed off, his face showing a surprising amount of sadness. "He is the only true thing of value that I have. I do not want to risk it. Besides, it is not the way I play my game."

Ron started to object but Kim sat up suddenly and touched his arm briefly. "Leave it Ron," she said, her voice hollow. "She's not here."

Senor Senior smiled. "Ah," he said and put his hand on the table. "She understands."

Ron frowned at the two of them and shook his head. "I don't," he pointed out. "KP?"

Kim sighed and put her untouched cup of tea on the desk. "Think about it Ron," she carried on, her voice neutral. "If he had my mother here, he would have dealt with his security problems immediately. And, he would've been more prepared for our arrival. If I had sat down and thought about it, I would've realized this." There was a desperate look in her eyes as she looked at Ron. "Besides, he's right – this is not the kind of game that he plays. If he saw any gain in kidnapping my mother he would've done it ages ago."

Senor Senior smiled and picked up his tea cup. "Exactly," he purred with his heavy accent. "I just won't do something that foolish, it's too personal. Especially after what Kimberlee did for us, it hardly the thing a gentleman would do."

Both Kim and Ron blinked this time. "What do you mean?" Kim asked. "What did I do for you?"

The old man made a considering sound and sat forward to look at her more directly. "Well," he intoned. "It was not so much what you have done for my son and I personally, but for the villain community." He smiled at their confusion, though it wasn't an entirely pleasant look. "You saved one of us Kimberlee Ann Possible," he said quietly. "You had no reason to but you are the reason that Shego is still alive today. For that," he bowed his head slightly, "I will never touch your family."

At the mention of the woman's name Kim felt her whole body erupt in goosebumps. She shivered and clenched her hands over her knees. She couldn't look at Senor Senior but sniffed and glanced at her abandoned tea cup, it was standing next to the villain's Rolodex.

"I would've done the same for all of you," she said darkly, all too aware of the man's mysterious smile.

"My point exactly," he said quietly. "I'm sorry Kimberlee, but I do not have your mother and I don't know who does. If I did, I might've tried to help you."

The office was very quiet suddenly. Kim could hear Ron shifting awkwardly next to her but she couldn't make herself look away from the villain's contact cards. She heard Senor Senior stand up and clear his throat.

"Well," he said. "I think I will go and see if Global Justice has arrived yet. Make sure that the landing deck is clear, yes?" He motioned to the tea. "Finish your tea, it's very soothing. I'll be right back." He started to leave the room, only to pause half way to return for his cane. He didn't say anything and closed the door behind him as he left.

Ron watched him leave then turned to his best friend. "You know," he said. "I think he only carries that cane for show."

Kim reached out and carefully started to flip through the cards in front of her. "That's what I think," she said quietly as she read the first name. _Hank Perkins_, _figures_. "Ever since I saw him perform all those stunts I didn't think for a moment that he actually needed it." _Hench co_, _not a big surprise._

Ron hummed to himself and sat back. "Well, who would've thought that they had some code of honour," he pointed out. "I mean, being willing to help you just because you helped Shego. I didn't think that the villains were that sentimental.

_Our world is more complicated than you understand,_ Shego had once told her. "She's handy to have around," Kim said, continuing to read through the names. _Killigan, Duff_. "If you remember Ron, she does a lot of work for other people. She knows everybody, which is why her reputation is very good despite her or rather Drakken's failures." _Shego._ "She has contacts." She stared at the card. The others had had websites and various contact numbers along with emails. Hers merely had a mobile number. Kim swallowed, her throat suddenly very dry as she found herself reaching for her own mobile. Ron frowned at her and shrugged.

"I guess," he said, his face darkening. "That's what makes her dangerous I guess. We should go Kim and tell Wade of all of this. Are you sure that Senor Senior is speaking the truth?"

Kim flipped open her phone and slowly keyed in the number. "Hmm," she replied. "It didn't feel right from the beginning Ron, I was just so desperate to do something that I didn't stop to think. This was such a waste of time..." Her hands were shaking in anticipation.

Ron didn't say anything but stood up and shrugged. He frowned at Kim who hadn't moved yet and peered over her shoulder. "What are you doing?"

Kim blinked and shut the phone guiltily. "Nothing," she said and stood up. "Come on, let's go – Global Justice should by here by now." As if on cue Señor Senior arrived at the door, followed closely by Dr. Director. The Director of Global Justice did not look pleased to see them but Kim gave her a defiant look and slipped her mobile back into her pocket.

Dr. Director stopped in front of Kim and made a vague motion with her hand. "What are you doing here?" she said in an exasperated tone. "When I heard that you two were here I couldn't believe it. If you had bothered to contact us, we could've told you that your mother wasn't taken by the Señors."

Kim sniffed and picked up her backpack. "It's not as if you would've been able to give me more information," she said and walked past. "I don't have to explain myself to you. Come on, Ron..."

&&&

_To Be Continued..._

_AN: No overweight alligators were harmed during the production of this chapter. Furthermore, I realize that alligators do not necessarily act as I have depicted mine. I claim author's right. ;). _

_Not much else to say except thanks to my Beta once again for doing a wonderful job and doing in incredibly fast. I'm always amazed and grateful for his pace. Thank you for all the reviews for the last chapter, it was really appreciated!  
Also, thank you to noncynic for ironing out a few creases._

_Have a great day everybody, _

_Alyss _

_3-;--_


	7. A Touch in the Dark

**Chapter 07: A Touch in the Dark.**

"Kimberlee Ann, I told you to let Global Justice handle this."

It disturbed Ron that Dr. Director's voice wasn't as angry as he expected her to be. Instead there was an edge of desperation in her tone that he had not heard before. It sounded foreign, unreal. He had never thought that he would hear _the_ Dr. Director of Global Justice sound desperate.

On the other hand, his best friend was cool and calm, her gaze steady as she stared out of the window of the private supersonic jet. "Why?" she queried bluntly. "Because you are involved in it as well? Are you afraid that I might step on more of your allies' toes?"

Dr. Director's eye narrowed at the comment, but before she could say anything Ron interrupted her. "KP," he said sharply. "I told you it's time to let that go." He had never snapped at Kim for anything, much less reprimanded her in front of someone else. But, things had changed. Where there had never been any need for him to keep an eye on her, he became more and more aware of the fact that she was moving in a different direction than she should be going. Her insolence towards Dr. Director was proof of that. A few months ago, she would never have dared question the woman, now she seemed to be going out of her way to antagonize her.

Kim had looked at him when he snapped at her but her gaze had remained distant. She lowered her head slightly in apology but then resumed staring out of the window. She didn't spare as much as a glance in the other woman's direction.

Dr. Director sighed softly and visibly restrained her temper.

"We have nothing to do with this," she said. "I merely want to help you. Kim, think for a moment, please. You've made the wrong call already by going after Senior Señor Senior. Technically you have wasted precious time and energy pursuing this lead." She lowered her voice and fixed Kim with a gaze that she could not ignore. "What if you make another mistake? Can you afford it?"

That got the teen hero's attention. Ron watched as his friend swallowed and slowly turned to look at Dr. Director. Her green eyes met the woman's gaze and for a moment their silence was so intense that it drowned out all the other noise.

Kim shifted her body slightly so that she could stare at Dr. Director more comfortably. "Tell me," she said in her same quiet voice. "What have Global Justice found in the time that I have _wasted_ pursuing this lead? What can _you_ tell _me_?"

Dr. Director sat back and crossed her arms in front of her chest. "Well," she said quietly, "for one thing we know it wasn't the Seniors who did it."

Kim raised an eyebrow. "Ah," she said quietly. "But, do you know who did it?"

Dr. Director didn't blink. "I can tell you who didn't do it," she said. "It's not Duff Killigan, because he's been trying to upset the Barclays Skottish Open. I sent Will Du after him. It isn't DNAmy because _she's_ still behind bars, and it's not Professor Dementor since he doesn't work in July. It isn't Monkey Fist because it's Wimbledon and it's not Dr. Drakken because Shego has been spotted in the Bahamas and he never sets a foot out of his lair without someone to cover his back. And, as you might've noticed, everybody else is busy so he couldn't just hire somebody like Killigan."

For a fraction of a second, Ron felt more than saw Kim freeze before she snorted and shook her head.

"Wade could've told me all of that," she said. "Really."

The director shook her head. "Could he?" she queried. "If he could, he would've told you that the Seniors have not left their haven in some weeks. Junior attended the annual UAC ball the night before your mother was kidnapped which means that he couldn't have been available during the time your mom supposedly saw these patients that lead you to them." Her gaze softened as she leaned forward slightly. "We have also found the runway that they used to put your mother on a private plane and we got our hands on the FAA's logs for that area. Although nobody registered any take off from that site, they picked up on the unscheduled flight and hailed the pilot. According to the transcript with the controller, the pilot admitted his error and got someone to fax through a flight plan." The Dr. Director seemed quite pleased as she held a folder in Kim's direction. "You don't get a lot past the FAA these days, not unless you are a super villain with a super stealth jet of course."

Ron watched as Kim took the folder with a frown, no doubt wondering why Wade didn't get her this information, and quickly read through it. Her frown deepened as she looked up at the woman again.

"Says here that they landed in Hawaii," she pointed out. "Why didn't you tell me about this?"

The director's face didn't change as she regarded the teenager. "Why didn't you tell me that you were going after the Seniors?" She retorted. Watching them, Ron couldn't help but compare their stares to those of two cats looking at each other from different sides of the road. Kim didn't answer Dr. Director's question and instead flipped to another page in the file.

"I take it that you've sent someone there to check it out? And question this pilot?"

Dr. Director let out a slow breath and shook her head. "Needless to say the identity that the pilot gave was a fake," she said. "None of the information was viable."

Kim raised her eyebrows and closed the file with an audible snap. "But the landing in Hawaii bit?"

The other woman nodded. "True," she said. "But the trail runs cold in Hawaii sadly. My theory is that they transferred your mother to a ship and transported her somewhere else from there."

Kim growled something under her breath and shook her head sharply. "You know," she said with a snap in her voice. "It goes beyond me that your people can practically pop up anywhere in Middleton and put high tech surveillance on Ron for MONTHS but you can't find out where these people took my mother. It makes me very relieved that I'm not a tax payer. What have you found in Hawaii? They couldn't just have vanished there and the island is just SO big."

Instead of answering her, Dr. Director merely sat back and crossed her arms. Kim's eyes narrowed to two slits as she peered at the woman. "Let me guess," she said coldly. "You're not going to tell me what you've found and you've most probably picked up all the leads so that I won't be able to trace them myself. You want me to stay at home and... how did you put it earlier? Play the victim."

Undeterred by Kim's tone Dr. Director merely looked at the teenager. "This is not only for your own good Kim," she said quietly, "but for the good of your family. Trust me on this; you have the potential to do more harm than good here."

For a moment, Kim looked almost sad. "But that's the problem Betty," she said using the director's name for the first time. "I can't trust Global Justice, not again. You made the wrong choice, one that almost cost the life of the woman I..." She faltered a bit. "Your choices, your decisions almost killed Shego. Nothing can change that. I told this to you before; I can't trust Global Justice to do what is right for my mother."

In the small space of the jet, Dr. Director leaned forward and placed a hand on Kim's knee. "Then trust me," she said softly, looking at the teenager. "If not Global Justice, trust _me_ to make the right decisions."

With a look bordering on agony, Kim shook her head slowly, leaning away from the woman. "I can't even do that," she said quietly. "Not any more... I'm sorry."

&&&

"What can we do?" Ron asked quietly a few hours later when Global Justice dropped them off back home. "I feel as if..." He struggled. "We don't have a lot of choices but to sit and wait. Or go to Hawaii..." He looked at his friend hopefully.

Kim hesitated, her hand resting on their front door. She looked around them and noticed two GJ agents hanging around. One was standing around in plain sight, acting about as conspicuous as a secret service agent and the other was hiding in the mail box, looking directly at them. She turned her back to them and looked at the front door so that they couldn't read her lips.

"I don't think my mother is still there," she said quietly. "It's too easy and too obvious. I think who ever we're dealing with is more complicated than this."

Ron raised an eyebrow. "What makes you say that?" he said quietly, taking the hint from her and also turning his back on the agents. Kim didn't look at him but leaned against the door. "Intuition," she whispered. "A sense..." She frowned. "If it's not one of our usual run-of-the-mill villains Ron then there must be more to this. Nobody else has any real reason to go after my mother. The criminals that Global Justice mentioned are the ones that hate me the most. And then there are those two other people who are missing." Her mouth thinned. "I don't think GJ knows about that, otherwise Dr. Director would've mentioned it." She was quiet for a few moments, and then abruptly opened the door. "Come on, I've just thought of something." She grabbed his hand before he could move and dragged him into the house. "My mother keeps notes on all her appointments," she continued when the door closed behind them. "She had asked Wade to set up her home computer and her office computer so that the two mirror each other; if she does anything there it appears here and visa versa. It saved her the trouble of lugging her laptop everywhere. I can't tell you how many times she forgot it when the Tweebs distracted her."

Ron raised an eyebrow and opened his pocket so that Rufus could get onto his shoulder. "And this is relevant how?" he queried. "It's not as if they would've given her their address."

Kim gave him a look and shook her head as they entered her mother's office. "No," she said. "But something that I've been thinking of is: why did they come to her? Why not just kidnap her? If they wanted to use her to blackmail or threaten me, why not just take her? I just assumed that it was the Seniors but maybe, well maybe it was somebody else. And, maybe this is completely unrelated. You never know," she sat down in front of her mother's laptop, "but I want to make sure that there isn't something in here that we've missed."

Ron nodded thoughtfully and pulled a chair closer. "Just to act as the voice of your conscious," he said idly, "but wouldn't it be unethical if you read your mother's notes?"

Kim, who had just turned on the laptop, hesitated for a bit before she shrugged. "I'll only read her notes on those patients," she said. "And, besides – this is to help her." She glanced at the screen and frowned. "Ah," she said and pulled out her Kimmunicator. "Wade?"

Her super genius was, as always, available within seconds. "What can I do for you Kim?" he said. "I'm sorry that things worked out the way they did. I did not see that one coming."

Kim sighed softly and shook her head. "So not the drama Wade," she said. "The sad thing is that in a sense I did. I've decided to play a more controlled game this time round. Could you tell me what the password is for my mother's computer?"

Wade nodded and pulled a notepad closer. "Sure," he said. "It's..."

Ron interrupted him quickly. "Hey!" he snapped. "You should be saying: No Kim, that's unethical. What's the world coming to? Kim, you are pulling a perfectly young, impressionable mind down the wrong road!"

Both Kim and Wade blinked at him. "What's he on about?" Wade asked Kim with a sceptical expression on his face. The teenager shrugged and took computer off of screensaver. Why her mother had a minute window for it she could never fathom. "If I find out I'll write," she said. "Now the password?"

Wade smiled and typed a few things into his computer. Before she had to do anything, the laptop suddenly sprung to life, going into its desktop window by itself. When she frowned at Wade the super genius shrugged, a little embarrassed.

"He's right you know," he said. "I would be abusing the relationship that I have with your mother if I just give you her personal information. But, I can let you in, just this once."

Kim rolled her eyes and sat back. "Tell you what," she said. "Why don't you just show me what I want to see? My mom keeps notes on the patients that she sees everyday. Can you call up the notes that she made on this father and son duo? I want to see what they asked of her."

Both she and Ron watched as the mouse's cursor began to move by itself. "That's easy enough," Wade said. "What do you think you'll find?"

A series of notes appeared before her eyes. Kim swallowed suddenly, her throat tightening at the thought of reading her mother's own words. By all accounts, this was probably the last thing that she logged before she got kidnapped.

She scanned the headline and sat forward immediately. "Are you reading this Wade?" she asked aghast. "Do I have it right?"

Wade's attention wasn't focused on them but on his own screen. "If you're reading 'Lobotomy request' then yes," he said surprised. "How freaky is that?"

Ron made a soft growl from his seat. "I don't know," he said squinting at the page. "How freaky? What does lobotomy mean?"

Kim frowned and briefly glanced at Wade who was still not looking at them. "It's like a brain dissection isn't it?" she queried. "And, very illegal."

Wade nodded. "I'm not clued up on the finer details," he admitted. "But yes, that about sums it up. This is really a very weird request; your mother seemed to think so as well."

Ron sighed skipping over some of the bigger words. "Your mother denied it," he said. "Could that be enough reason for them to kidnap her?"

Kim sat back, feeling very disturbed by what she read. "If they have two other people yes," she said. "What do you think Wade? Look at the name – it's Mr. Monsieur." She sniffed. "It still sounds like Triple S. Monsieur is foreign."

"French!" Rufus cut in suddenly, raising his little claws above his head in exclamation. Ron smiled at him proudly and gave the little dude a high five. "You remembered about France!" he said. "Nice one Rufus."

The naked mole rat looked very pleased with himself but Kim didn't and ignored the both of them.

"I understand it's not him," she was saying to Wade. "But, I mean – father and son. Foreign sounding. If I had read this report before we went to the Seniors I'd have been even more convinced that it was them."

Wade made a considering sound. "I'll look at your mother's surgery's records for their address," he said. "Or at least to where their medical bill was send. They might be registered at a Medical Aid."

Kim sighed softly. "If they can't afford to pay it cash, you mean," she said darkly. "Does this sound like anybody else we know who might be hiding a son somewhere? Professor Dementor? Drakken?" As if on cue, they all paused at the last name. Ron grimaced and glanced at Kim, momentarily hitting the Kimmunicator's mute button. "Can you just imagine Drakken having sex with anybody?" he queried looking quite disgusted.

Kim grimaced, thinking about how she had thought that Shego and Drakken were lovers. "The question would be, Ron, can you imagine anybody having sex with Drakken?"

They both shuddered.

"I can hear you guys," Wade suddenly popped up on the laptop screen. "And I'm not oblivious to the finer details of the birds and the bees. No need to mute the microphone."

The two older teenagers shared a look. "Humour us and pretend that we're protecting your innocence Wade," Ron said. "I didn't know about these things when I was your age, much less think about them."

Wade looked at Ron sceptically. "I shudder to ask but, what did you think about when you were my age?" he queried carefully.

"My Little Pony," she said dryly. "Or had you upgraded to GI Joes by then?"

Wade leaned closer to his camera. "They were probably riding the ponies," he said in a loud whisper. Ron gave an indignant sniff as Kim covered her face in her hand.

"Hey," he exclaimed. "They were the cavalry! KP?"

Kim shook her head and sat down, feeling very tired suddenly. "I'm not making any comments," she said. "To get back to this, where are we now Wade?"

Wade's face grew sombre once more as he shook his head. "No further," he said. "I'm going to try and indentify our potential patients. But, I know that Global Justice is doing it as well so I feel that if they haven't been able to find anybody then I won't have more luck. Essentially we'll be using the same software."

Kim nodded. "I understand," she said. "But please, do it anyway Wade. GJ is not in a sharing mood, they want to keep me housebound."

It made her angry that Wade didn't object to it immediately. He frowned at his computer before he glanced at her. "Ah, yeah," he said. "I gathered." He chewed his bottom lip for a few moments and then took a sip from his giant soda, not looking at her.

Kim's eyes narrowed as she started to frown at him. "You don't think that they are right do you Wade?" she queried.

Wade glanced at her and quickly shook his head. "No," he said. "Of course not. I'm just... never mind. Don't think too hard on it."

Her frown turned to a glare. "Think too hard on what?" she queried. "The fact that they are trying to keep me housebound, or the fact that my mother has been kidnapped? Or that there's some psycho out there who wanted my mother to make a vegetable out of his son?"

Wade blinked at the sudden onslaught. "No, I didn't mean..." He couldn't seem to find the right words. "Look KP, I didn't mean that... I just... What I meant was that don't take what GJ is doing personally. Essentially they are trying to help us, which is more than they tried to three weeks ago. Under the circumstances, we should just be grateful... What did I say?" Kim had stood up abruptly and left the room, leaving the two boys (and naked mole rat) alone.

Ron sighed and shook his head. "It's not you Wade," he said and picked up the Kimmunicator. "I just think that she's... stressed. Do what you think you should do, you always have better ideas than I do anyway." He glanced at the device in his hand. "I'll give this back to her so that you can contact her the moment you have anything. Good luck."

He heard Wade sigh just before he turned the Kimmunicator off. "I think you need it more than I do Ron."

&&&

When he climbed into Kim's room he was just in time to see her snap her mobile shut and give him a guilty look. He sighed and climbed up all the way.

"You should stop doing that," he said quietly.

"Do what?" she queried and slipped her mobile back into her pocket. "I'm not doing anything."

Ron frowned at her and tossed the Kimmunicator onto the bed. "Alienating everybody," he said. "Snapping at people who try to help you. Antagonizing the Director of Global Justice and really, _really_ vexing Betty. She is trying her best Kim."

Kim froze at his words, her eyes becoming distant as she slipped her hand back into her pocket. "I..." She hesitated. "I don't..." She pulled her mobile out and looked at it before she sighed and slipped it back into her pocket. She didn't say anything, but for a moment looked very lost. The image lasted only for a second though before she steeled herself and shook her head.

"Global Justice shouldn't be stonewalling me," she said with a touch of bitterness. "They should know better, my success rate is higher than theirs."

Ron nodded slowly and sat down on the edge of the bed. "True," he said. "But bear in mind Kim that we're in unknown territory this time. It's never been one of us. Maybe Dr. Director is right; maybe we should just sit back this time and let them do their job." He cringed. "You have to admit, so far they've done a better job than we have."

It was the wrong thing to say and he knew it. Kim sniffed again sharply and crossed her arms in front of her chest.

"Whose side are you on, Ron?" she snapped.

He held up his hands quickly in surrender. "Yours, KP," he said quickly, "Always yours. But, I just want you to listen to me. I trust Betty Director and I think that she is doing everything within her power to help you. You just have to let her alright?"

Kim sighed softly and for a brief second her stone wall vanished. Her shoulders slumped miserably and she shook her head.

"I can't do that Ron," she said quietly. "I just can't. I can't trust her, not anymore."

Ron glared at her. "Over Shego?" he queried. "Kim, that was one occasion, _one._ And, it didn't even affect you personally. They came through in the end by designing that machine and bringing some semblance of order to the day. I'm sure they won't let it happen again. Surely that gives them some credit." When Kim didn't reply he stood up and stepped closer to her. "If not Global Justice, then at least trust Betty Director. She's a good woman."

Kim snorted and shook her head. "She's the one I'm disappointed in the most Ron," she said softly. "She... At the end of the day, she's one of them."

It surprised him more than it did her when he grabbed her arm. "So are we," he said softly. "You know KP, some of the good guys?"

Kim looked at his hand on her arm then up into his eyes. There was a very soft, bitter smile on her lips. "I don't think any of us are really the good guys," she said quietly. "I just think we play on the same side sometimes."

He didn't know what to say to that. Ron shifted awkwardly and finally let go of her arm. He tried to think of something to fill the dark silence around them but came up terribly short on words. He glanced at Rufus who was still slumped on his shoulder and swallowed. "Well, yes," he said awkwardly. "The good side. The right side KP. Don't forget that okay?" When she didn't say anything he sighed and shrugged. "Well look, I'm going to head on home, see how my parents are doing. My mom is very freaked out by all of this."

Kim nodded quietly without looking at him. "Give them my love," she said softly. "And, thank you for everything Ron."

He smiled and made a dismissive gesture. "Don't worry about it," he said. "I've got your back."

&&&

It was only when she was alone that Kim cried for the first time. The urge had come upon her quite unexpectedly as she stood in her empty room, Ron's last good bye to her father drifting up through the window. Her knees buckled as it felt as if someone grabbed her by the throat and started strangling her. Painful sobs pulled their way through her body and she had to grab her pandaroo to try and muffle the sound. It was only when the worst of her emotion had filtered into the stuffed toy that she managed to pull herself together and focus. She put the pandaroo down and pulled herself up onto her bed to rest her head in her hands. Taking several deep breaths, Kim reached back into her pocket and drew out her mobile, looking at the half typed message.

_I need to see you..._

Too desperate, she thought even though they were the words that had been etched into her soul every day since Shego had kissed her. She swallowed and tried a different approach.

_Mom's been kidnapped, need to see you. _

She frowned and shook her head. _No,_ she thought quietly. _That might make it sound as if I think that she's done it._ She tried again.

_We must meet. KP. _

_There_, she thought with a sudden smile. That's vague enough to be on even grounds but desperate enough for her to (hopefully) pay it immediately attention.

She sent the message to the mobile number she had snitched from Triple S and lay back on her bed, emotionally spent. She realized that she was lying on the Kimmunicator and quickly fished it out from underneath her. She hoped that Wade had no way to incept her text or be alerted to the fact that she contacted the super villainess. She shifted into a more comfortable position and turned on her side, curling herself up around her pandaroo, wondering when Shego would reply.

She didn't realize that she had nodded off when it felt as if seconds later, her phone beeped. Kim jumped up and looked around disorientated. It was very quiet and there was a funny taste in her mouth. She glanced at her watch and saw that about two hours had passed before she glanced at the message.

_53 Upperton Road, _it read_. Lot B. 4am. Come alone or don't come at all. _

Kim's heart immediately started drumming in her chest like a caged bird. Without a second's hesitation and turning on the light she grabbed her backpack and pulled out her rocket-skates. She didn't think that any public transport would take her there this time of night and she didn't want to ask Wade to organize a lift for herself. Global Justice might be a problem but she was quite confident that she could sneak by them. She slipped the Kimmunicator into her pocket and tied a warm jumper around her middle. Instead of going out of the front door, she climbed out of the window and quickly scaled down to the ground. She crouched in the shadows and pulled out her night vision goggles form her pack. She looked around for any of GJ's agents but couldn't see any so quickly snuck across the yard and leapt over the wall. She made her way through their neighbour's yard until she reached the corner of the street. There, she got out onto the sidewalk and quickly pulled on her helmet and skates. She had just activated the wheels when something suddenly barrelled right into her. Kim reacted by instinct, flipping her assailant off of her body and pinning him to the ground. She heard a very familiar grunt of air and frowned. Pulling Ron up, she glared at him and pulled him into the shadows by the fence.

"_What are you doing?"_ she hissed.

He dusted himself off and touched his back. "I should ask the same to you," he said. "Where are we going?"

Kim's stomach tightened as she regarded her best friend. "We're not going anywhere," she said softly. "I have to go somewhere."

Ron blinked at her stupidly. "What?" he queried. "I don't understand."

The tightness in her stomach became a fist. "I have to go alone," she said quietly. "I'm... following a lead that Wade doesn't know about." She hesitated. "And, I don't want him to know about until tomorrow."

Ron sniffed. "That's cool," he said. "But why can't I come along?"

Kim swallowed and shook her head. "The person will only show if I come alone. It's... I just can't take you this time Ron."

Her friend looked at her for a very long time. Swallowing, he looked around and took a step away from her. "Don't go where I can't follow KP."

He whispered the words, but they echoed through the night around them. Kim bit her lip and closed her eyes. Without warning him, she stepped up to him rested a hand on his cheek and kissed him on the other. In her mind, she remembered Shego, remembered the way the woman touched her and made her feel. Unable to help herself she found her mouth lingering towards Ron's. She kissed him lightly on the lips then stepped away. Ron blinked at her stupidly, his face ashen white.

"Stay here," Kim said softly. "And, don't tell anybody that I've gone. Please."

She didn't wait for his reply, because she knew that he would not betray his trust. Squeezing his shoulder she turned around and activated the rocket-skates. Without looking back, she sped away from him – feeling for the first time as if she was leaving a part of her behind.

&&&

_To Be Continued... _

_AN: Another chapter at what is to be the end of your friendly author's globe trotting life style. Yes, time to pack out the backpack, sort out my stuff and head on home to the other side. :) I don't have any comments on this chapter, only to say that: Writing in the Orkney Islands is very cool (though difficult to get online) and that out there, there is a 78 year old woman on her second trip around the world. Why I share this is because you should NEVER give up your dreams to travel. It can be done, lol. (I met the woman in a youth hostel and was SO intimidated by her… I kept think: Shit, and I thought that I'm adventurous!!!) So never give up hope that you will reach that unknown horizon. _

_Thank you for all the reviews with this and all the readers! Also, thank you for my Beta. _

_Have a great day everybody,_

_Alyss  
3-;--_


	8. Shego

**Chapter 08: Shego. **

When she first received the message she ignored it. It was on her work mobile and she didn't have the time or energy to respond to it. Besides, it was either Drakken or someone with a job offering she wasn't about to take. She made a point of it not to answer Drakken's messages immediately when she was on holiday. She wouldn't be surprised if it was him though, he was being unnaturally quiet. She shuddered to think what world domination plan he would have when she got back to him. His ideas had a way of becoming more and more eccentric the longer he was on his own.

Shego sighed softly and pushed herself away from her computer. She wasn't willing to admit it, but she felt a brief twinge of fondness towards the mad scientist. When she had just come out from the hospital he had waited on her hand and foot, letting all of his plans come to a grinding halt so that he could make sure that she was comfortable. Although she slept through most of that week, she was constantly aware of his silent presence by her side, either through the Coco-moo and food he left beside her bed or his firm hands on her when she thrashed around from the dark nightmares she had. She should've hated him for seeing her that weak but as it turned out; she was just relieved to have someone standing between her and the horror of what Teryl Adamson had done to her.

Standing up, Shego stretched and carefully eased out all the tight muscles in her shoulders and chest. When she brought her hands down to her side she ignited them briefly, looking at the green flames as they danced around her wrists. She grimaced, letting them die down, and grabbed her jacket - deciding that she needed a walk to clear her head from the feeling of indifference that the computer imposed on her. She had spent the whole day surfing various chat rooms and forums to find any knowledge pertaining to Kim Possible's mother but she hadn't had any luck. It was done by somebody outside their usual circles which meant that obtaining that knowledge would be very hard and very expensive. She wasn't about to cash in a personal favour for curiosity's sake.

She went for a walk along the beach, savouring the feeling of the cool air on her face and the smells and sounds of the ocean. She walked past lovers and solitary souls alike. The couples barely noticed her, too engrossed in each other's company and the people who were on their own noticed her but stayed their distance. Occasionally she would get a nod from them, a small acknowledgement of a kindred spirit. One group of youths approached her, full of boisterous pride and the alcohol induced need to flirt.

It didn't take a lot to convince them that she was a bit more than they could handle... without the back up of an arsenal, anyway.

Shego thought about a lot of things as she walked down the beach. She thought about her employer and wondered whether this incident would change their relationship or whether things would just go back to normal when she returned from her holiday. She hoped that it would because she couldn't see herself coping with his heightened, fatherly attention. She thought about Kim Possible's mother, the kind Dr. Ann Possible, and wondered what ill fate had befallen her. It was strange that nobody seemed to know anything about it. She kept an eye on the teen hero's website for an update but it's been ominously idle. Shego wondered how the teenager was coping with her mother's disappearance.

She thought about Kim Possible a lot.

As time passed, she remembered very little of those last dire hours in the hospital but one thing remained very clear and that was the young woman's almost constant presence by her side. She remembered the passion that Kim showed when she encouraged her to hold on and to fight the deadly little machines and she remembered the strange, hidden power in the young woman's touch.

And, she remembered their kiss.

Thinking back, Shego realized that she had made a mistake. Things were too intense, too strange and too pressured by the situation. In the light of Teryl's betrayal, she wasn't ready for where that touch would lead her and it opened doors she had not even been willing to go near. But it happened and strangely, despite realizing that it was a mistake, Shego could not make herself regret it.

And, eventually – for the briefest periods of time – she would think of Teryl Adamson, of the first time they met to their last bitter discussion.

She tried not to dwell on it, but it hurt.

When she returned to her hotel suite, almost two hours later, she was tired and very ready to go to bed. She checked her emails one last time to see if there had been any developments on the Dr. Possible front then went for a shower and crawled into bed. She remembered the message at the very last moment and grudgingly searched for her mobile. She dug it out underneath her discarded clothes and looked at the message id. Not recognizing the number she opened it and froze.

_We must meet. KP. _

Think of the devil.

Shego got up and went to her computer to check her emails. There was nothing there that hinted at any new developments so she turned her attention back to the text message and stared at it.

"How did you get this number Pumpkin?" she whispered softly. "I _know_ it's not anywhere online." None the less she glared at her computer as if it betrayed her and gingerly pushed herself up, sleep forgotten. She put on a shirt, leaving her mobile on the bed, and went to the room's kettle. She made a cup of coffee, drank it warm and then slowly returned back to her mobile. The message was still there, unchanged.

_We must meet. KP._

She realized that her heart was beating faster and faster and her hands were starting to sweat. She took a deep breath and regretted it, feeling the tight twinge in her chest. Rubbing her palms on her legs she shook her head sharply, cursing herself for her lack of self control. She made another cup of coffee and turned off all the lights in her room. The dark helped her to think because she knew that she had to do so thoroughly this time. When her cup was empty she let out a slow breath and stood up, going back to the bed to retrieve the mobile.

"I'm going to regret this," she growled at herself as she typed a reply.

_53 Upperton Road. Lot B. 4am. Come alone or don't come at all..._

_&&&_

She reached the spot with about an hour to spare.

Kim looked around the deserted lot and shivered, wondering for the first time what the hell she was doing in the middle of Upperton in a deserted lot amidst a whole bunch of derelict buildings.

'What am I going to say to her?' She thought as she hid in the shadows behind a garbage can. She couldn't just ask her where her mother was, and it suddenly dawned on her that the villainess might not have any information. Or, she might have some but not be willing to share it.

It was going to be a very long wait and a terribly lonely one because for the first time that she could remember, Ron wasn't there to wait with her. She felt terribly guilty about him, even more rotten because she had kissed him.

_What was I thinking?_ She thought quietly as she rubbed her arms against the night chill. _I shouldn't have touched him. He shouldn't even have been there, what was he doing? Watching me?_ Her stomach twisted painfully. _It's not my fault,_ she tried to tell herself. _He shouldn't have been there. If he had just stayed in bed, he would never have known any better._

She would've told him everything when she came back. He wouldn't have minded...

_Liar. _

The word was whispered in the darkness by her conscience and it felt as if it echoed in the silent night around her.

Kim sighed softly and rubbed her neck, then glanced at her watch and realized that only two minutes had passed since the last time she had looked at it. She swallowed and cleared her throat against the rising dry scratch that she felt in it. She immediately regretted it because the sound seemed to thunder around them. It scared a cat that must've been sitting above her because it yowled and leapt away from her, crash landing on another garbage can and overturning it. Kim cursed at the noise and crouched down, remembering the cat that Global Justice used. _If they found her now..._

She couldn't imagine what Betty Director's reaction would be. The woman was angry enough with her for going after the Seniors, she could not imagine what she would do if she found out that Kim was meeting the source of their discord. On some deep inner level, Kim knew that she was being unreasonable and she also knew that Dr. Director at least didn't deserve her distrust. But, as with any creature that had been burned by fire, she shied at the light. She didn't want anything to do with Global Justice because she realized that they could get away with more evil in the name of good than the villains could in their quests for world domination. And it hurt her to think that Betty Director knew all of this. It was one of the reasons Ron wasn't with her here tonight. He wouldn't understand that she felt more comfortable turning to Shego for help than to Global Justice. She knew on what side the woman was on.

Pushing herself against the big garbage can, Kim took a steadying breath to calm her heart and looked around it towards the street. There was nobody around but she couldn't make herself relax further. Biting her lip she turned back and rested her head against the bin. She closed her eyes then glanced at her watch.

3:56am.

At least time had passed a bit quicker...

She waited another minute, and then stood up slowly, looking around the still vacant lot. Even though she didn't see anything, the hair on the back of her neck prickled with the sensation that she was being watched. Kim looked around, trying to see the source of her discomfort but couldn't see anybody. She wondered suddenly if she had to show herself first. She had never arranged a meeting like this before. She just normally interrupted them...

Steeling herself she stepped away from the safety of the garbage can's shadow and moved into the lot. She stood there in the dim light for an uncountable minute before she caught the first glimpse of movement. A figure materialized out of the shadows on the opposite side of the lot. At first Kim wasn't sure whether it was Shego or not but then slowly, as she moved into the clearer light her features became more prominent.

Kim felt her heart pick up in excitement and her face flush with warmth as she remembered the last time she saw the woman. _This won't go well,_ she thought, frightened as she took a hesitant step forward. _What was I thinking?_

They met in the middle of the lot but didn't speak.

Shego looked better than she had at their last meeting. Her face wasn't as gaunt, her eyes not as tired and haunted. It stuck Kim as odd that she wasn't in her usual body suite but rather in tight fitting jeans and a leather jacket. Even though it must've been quite warm she had the jacket buttoned up and its collar pulled up against her neck. Her sharp eyes seemed to glow with her inner fire in the darkness but her face was as blank as the lot around them. Her hands were hidden in the folds of her jacket.

Kim looked at her, feeling as if she saw her for the first time. Her carefully rehearsed speech died on her tongue and the only word she could utter was a single, two syllable name.

"Shego."

The villainess, with her eyes of fire, twisted her head slightly either in acknowledgement or irritation. She didn't speak, but continued to look at her, daring her to utter the first words. Kim relented, swallowing again.

"My mother's been kidnapped."

Shego raised an eyebrow and slipped her hands out of her pockets. Kim flinched despite herself but forced her body to remain still despite the threat of Shego's dangerous hands.

"I know," the woman answered simply, her eyes never leaving Kim's. "I didn't do it."

Kim took a sharp breath and took a step forward. "I know," she said quickly. "But... You might know who did." Her eyes broke away from the woman's to look at her hands. They twitched, but remained by her side.

"I don't." Her hands moved suddenly and Kim, so use to dealing with them as weapons, leapt back instinctively. The villianess' mouth twisted in the darkness as she slipped her hands back into the folds of her jacket. She nodded at Kim and turned around to walk the other way. Kim's heart felt as if it was being torn out of her chest.

"Wait," she begged and leapt forward, grabbing a hold of Shego's arm. "Please, wait."

There was no mistaking the quiet and desperate note of begging in her voice.

Shego stopped and turned to look down on her, her eyes darker at the angle. Kim looked up at her, breathing heavily and aware of the scratch of tears behind her own eyes. None the less, she managed to keep herself together.

"You have to help me."

Shego's eyes narrowed.

"To do what?" she queried softly, making Kim swallow again.

"Find her," Kim said simply. "I can't do it on my own."

The woman seemed surprised by her sentence and turned so that she could face her again. "You have Global Justice and every other law enforcement agency in the whole _world_ behind you. Why do you need me?"

Kim felt herself begin to shiver and it had nothing to do with the chill of the night. "Because they are all stonewalling me," she said simply. "Global Justice wants me to stay put and play the victim as they so poetically said. I can't do that, I have to find her."

Shego snorted suddenly in her sarcastic way. "And you called me?" she queried. "Why?"

Feeling more secure Kim straightened up to look her directly in the eye. "You have access to channels that they don't," she said. "You have contacts."

Shego snorted again and sniffed sharply. "_Criminal_ contacts and _criminal_ information," she said both words with a cutting sound. "Are you sure you want to go down that road Princess?" The fondness with which she had said the nickname in the hospital was gone, replaced instead with her old almost taunting tone.

Kim faltered for a moment but then steeled herself and nodded. "Yes," she said with conviction. "For my mother, I'm sure."

Shego raised an eyebrow and shook her head. "Think hard on it Cupcake," she was talking in a whisper suddenly, but the words reached Kim as easily as if they had been shouted. "You will be throwing yourself in with a bunch of criminals. Fraternizing with me. That itself is a criminal offence and your friends might not forgive you for it. Be very sure you are willing to face the consequences of your actions."

Her mouth was dry and her hand was shivering where it was still touching Shego. She swallowed and tried to picture the consequences that Shego spoke of, but it was all wiped away when she realized that Shego had put her hand over hers.

"Yes," she said again, "for my mother – there is no price I am not willing to pay. Please, help me get her back."

Shego raised an eyebrow and leaned closer to her, her familiar smell enveloping Kim. "All the way?" she queried. "From start to finish? From the here in this lot till the moment your mother embraces you in her arms?"

Kim felt her world fall away as she nodded with more certainty than she had felt ever since she left her room.

"Yes," she said softly. "From start till finish."

The super villainess nodded and slowly stepped away from her.

"Then leave your bag," she said softly, "and every gadget that your geek made for you. Leave your Kimmunicator, your hairdryer, and the skates you used to get here. I do not want to be traced and it will be in our best interest if none of your friends interfere. Also, if I help you then we're even. Then I don't owe you anymore for saving my life."

When Kim only looked at her, her eyes softened suddenly and she leaned closer to the teenager, her face almost touching the younger woman's. "You can still turn back."

A shock like lightening travelled through the teen hero's body as she shook her head sharply and dropped her bag.

"It's a deal," she said. "Help me then we're even. Things can go back to normal."

For the first time, there was a cruel and dark light in Shego's eyes as she shook her head.

"Things will never be normal again Pumpkin," she said softly. "You have to comprehend that from this moment, things will never be the same again. Drop your stuff, we have to go."

She took several steps away from her so suddenly that Kim swayed, almost drunk from the loss of her presence. Kim blinked at the woman for several heartbeats, then abruptly dropped her bag and slipped off her shoes. She emptied her pockets of everything inside them, her mobile, the Kimmunicator and her laser lipstick. Even her compact went on the small heap of possessions. She double checked everything she had left to make sure that they were things that they had bought and briefly wondered whether Wade had her micro chipped like he did Ron. She didn't think so for she had warned him of the ethical and physical repercussions that the action would hold.

"_I will find you,"_ she had threatened. _"I will find you and destroy your internet connection if you try._" It seemed like a good enough threat at the time.

Kim looked from her small pile of possessions to the villainess only to find that she had already started walking away. Conscious of the gravel through her socks, she carefully trotted after her and fell in a step behind her. Shego didn't look at her but kept her head held high, her eyes drifting around them in an alert fashion as if she expected to be ambushed around every corner. They weren't, and before Kim truly understood what was happening she found herself seated beside the woman in her private jet, leaving for destinations unknown.

&&&

_To Be Continued..._

_AN: And I'm back! In my last week in the UK, so this might well be the last chapter you get from the Queen's country. I'm terribly sad about it, but there you go. Nothing that I can do but say that I've had a super time and as with all things, it's time to settle down and grow roots… For six months anyway. ;)  
Not much comment on the chapter itself. It's a bit shorter than the rest, but I didn't want to put in more because it says everything that I want to say._

_So, have a good day everybody and thank you for everything!  
Read and review as always!  
Please!_

Alyssa

_3-;-- _


	9. Left Behind

**Chapter 09: Left Behind. **

"She left me."

"Ron, you've said that. Where did Kim go?"

"She left me behind." The repetition had a hollow sound to it.

"Ronald: focus!" Dr. Possible barked.

"She didn't take me with her."

It took a lot of self control not to grab the young man by the shoulders and give him a good and proper shake. _'Though,'_ the Director of Global Justice thought, '_that would be kicking a man when he's down.'_

Ronald Stoppable was in quite a state as he stood there before the two adults and the computer screen. He didn't make eye contact with any of them but chose to stare at his feet, tugging at his shirt in a lost kind of way while his naked mole rat perched on his shoulder, patting the boy's hair with a soothing sound. Ron ignored him as much as he ignored Dr. Possible who was all but standing on top of him.

"Ronald," the scientist growled. "Either you tell me where my daughter went or some experiments involving high velocity will be done... And monkeys..."

Ron looked up for the first time, his eyes as mournful as a puppy's in a pet shop. "I don't know Dr. P," he said. "She left, she told me to stay here. I couldn't go with her... she didn't even make it easy for me to follow her. She..." He touched his cheek and blushed suddenly, his freckles becoming more prominent on his pale face. "She just totally ditched me. So much for the Possible-Stoppable team." He sniffed and rubbed at his nose.

Dr. Possible took a frustrated step forward but Betty stopped him and motioned to one of her agents to come over. "Why don't you go and make us some coffee Dr. Possible?" she suggested. "Although I appreciated their hospitality, I do not want to give your boys the opportunity to try their skills again."

Dr. James Timothy Possible gave her one of the sharpest looks she'd had to endure in quite some time. "I will not be dismissed in my own house," he snapped. "Not here, not now – not when it concerns my daughter."

She took a careful breath to try and absorb his anger and carefully lay a hand on his shoulder. "Please Dr. Possible," she said simply. "I would like some coffee."

The man looked at her, his gray eyes desperately trying to find the weakness in her gaze. Yet eventually she saw his resistance crumble as his shoulders slumped. Maybe he was used to not asking questions, to be automatically kept out of the loop of his daughter's life. Or maybe he was just too afraid to ask in fear of the answers he'd receive. For whatever reason crossed his mind, he pulled back and quietly went to the kitchen. Jim and Tim were nowhere in sight, though she had it on good authority that they were both still in the vicinity. Their spy cameras had their uses, especially when it came to trying to keep tabs on the youngest members of the Possible family.

'_Something has to be done about those boys,'_ she thought as Dr. Possible closed the kitchen door behind him. '_If the wrong person got their hands on them and coerced them to turn evil with the promise of all the free rocket fuel that they wanted, the world could be in serious trouble._'

She touched her temple and briefly fingered her eye patch before she turned back to Ron. He was staring after Dr. Possible with a miserable expression on his face. Next to him on the table Wade Load was staring at his friend, his dark eyes lined with a worry beyond his years. Ron had stumbled into the house about fifteen minutes ago, looking like a kicked dog. Betty, who had been napping in the one recliner, had given him one look and knew immediately that Kim was gone. She had moved a section of her Global Justice team to the Possible residence so that she could keep an eye on Kim and was furious that her team of so called experts had failed again. Sighing softly to keep her frustration below the surface, she laid a hand on Ron's shoulder and led his stiff-backed body over to the couch. She tried to get him to sit down but he resisted her urging. Wade's face appeared on the laptop on the coffee table where she and he had had a brief conversation about the penalties of hacking into Global Justice's satellites the night after Kim had gone to bed.

"Where's Kim Ron?" The teen-genius demanded again. "Where did she go?"

The older boy looked at him and sighed, rubbing his elbow. "She left," he answered again, unable to look at them.

Betty tried a different approach. "What happened to you Ron?" she said. "Where have you been?"

The blond boy glanced at her and grimaced. He touched his cheek again, then sighed and allowed his hands to slump to his sides.

"I was watching her bedroom window," he said. "I was in the tree house see? And, I saw her leave – so I followed her and eventually caught up with her at old Mrs. Wilson's house." He nodded in the direction. "I asked her where we were going and she... she left me."

They had to get away from those three devastating words.

"What did she tell you Ron?" Betty asked quietly, her insistent voice forcing the boy to look at her. "Did she tell you where she was going?"

Ron closed his eyes and shook his head. "No," he said, his voice suddenly turning to anger. "She just left and it's your fault! If you hadn't kept us out of the loop or expected her to sit on the side and do nothing she wouldn't have felt the need to take matters into her own hands! Now, she's out there somewhere having a meeting with god knows who and she didn't take me with her! Who's going to watch her back? Doesn't she know what happens to heroes without their sidekicks? They get caught, hurt, and bloody converted to the dark side! I'm supposed to be with her!" He stopped suddenly, more surprised by his tirade than they were.

Betty blew out a slow breath and looked to Wade. "Did she tell you anything of this?" she queried. "Did you set up this meeting?"

The genius's eyes were wide as he looked on his computer. "No," he said. "I didn't arrange it. Ron?"

Ron crossed his arms sulkily. "Don't look at me," he muttered. "She left me."

Betty barely managed to stop herself from growling. "What did she say Ron?" she asked through gridded teeth. "What were her words exactly?"

Ron sighed and looked out of the window. "She said she was following a lead that Wade didn't know about, and she said that she was meeting someone who would only show up if she was alone." He looked at them. "She didn't want any of you to know. Not until it was too late to find her I guess. I waited there, in the street, until it was dawn. For her."

Betty felt her heart go cold. "So, she's had a couple of hours' head start?" she queried. "Did she say who she was meeting?"

Ron shook his head again. "No," he said simply. "I don't think it's any of our usual allies."

Betty blew out a long breath and closed her eye before she turned to Wade. "Intercept all of her communication lines," she said. "And try to find out who she's contacted and how. I want to know who it is. We have to find her before she does something stupid."

Wade grimaced and typed up a few things on his computer. "I think she already has," he said. "The Kimmunicator's been stationary in the same spot for the past two hours or so. That can only mean one thing, either she's been lying there all morning or she dumped it. The address is..."

&&&

The jet was surprisingly quiet.

Kim looked out of the window, taking note how slowly the clouds seemed to move by. She knew it was all an illusion though, if she looked at the ground she knew she would see the world speeding by.

Much like her impulsive thoughts, really.

She couldn't believe what she had done.

Looking over to Shego, Kim hugged herself and studied the woman. Her emerald eyes were focused on some spot on the horizon, her hands comfortably resting on the sensitive steering equipment. She had taken off her jacket when she slipped into the seat, revealing for the first time the white tank top that she was wearing. Her pale arms were still thin, Kim realized as she watched the muscle and tendons move under her light green skin as she manoeuvred her equipment slightly to change course. Kim could still see faint marks from the various needle puncture wounds that had decorated her arms in hospital. She swallowed and looked up at the woman's face. She tried to find any trace that Shego had looked at her or was even aware of her presence but there was none.

The super villainess was keeping her silence.

Suddenly feeling awkward, Kim cleared her throat and looked back out the window.

"Where are we going?" she queried softly, her voice sounding like a clap of thunder in the silent cockpit. She turned to look at Shego but found that the woman had not shifted in her pose.

"Would it change anything if you knew our destination?" Shego asked sharply.

Kim flinched at her tone and sighed, shaking her head. "No," she admitted. _'But I'd feel more comfortable._'

Shego nodded sharply as if her point had been proven. "Just sit back and enjoy the ride Pumpkin," she said. "We're almost there."

Kim bit her lip and tried not to think of their destination anymore. Instead she once again found herself studying Shego, taking in every contour of the woman's face and body.

"How have you been Shego?" she asked quietly, feeling the need to break the insistent silence. "Since leaving the hospital I mean. You had a couple of broken ribs."

For a second, Shego's stoic demeanour flickered into a flinch. She glanced down at her hands, and then shrugged half heartedly.

"You know how it is Princess," she said sounding tired suddenly. "The first week with broken ribs you think that you've died, the second one you wish that you've died and the third week you have come to terms with the fact that you won't die and you have to somehow find a way to cope with them. I'm fine now, just..." Her jaw clenched. "I need to be careful."

Glad that Shego was talking and relieved that it didn't sound as if she was picking a fight, Kim quickly tried to continue with the conversation. "I'm sorry about what happened, Shego," she said quietly. "And about your ribs."

The older woman snorted and shook her head sharply. "You had nothing to do with it," she said. "Don't be silly."

Although her tone was sharp, Kim started to feel more comfortable. She could deal with this side of Shego, they had had a lot of practice in hospital. With the silence looming she quickly grabbed at another topic.

"Have you been safe?" she queried.

Shego snorted in what she suspected was a bout of laughter.

"It sounds as if you're asking me about my sex-life Kimmie," she stated, making the teen hero blush scarlet.

"No I..." Kim stammered. "What I meant was... Gosh. I mean..." She quickly gathered herself and tried to adopt a more sombre tone. "What I meant was have you... I mean... Has Teryl Adamson's company approached you again? Or... Teryl? Have you heard anything of her?"

Shego stiffened visibly and didn't look at Kim. "No," she said simply. "To all."

The silence flooded the cockpit like a bad odour as suddenly Kim didn't know how to continue with the conversation. She didn't have to though as Shego sighed softly and closed her eyes.

"Have you?" she queried, still not looking at Kim.

Kim grimaced and shook her head. "She was transferred out of the hospital about a week after you left," she said. "I don't know where she's gone and if Global Justice knows they are not sharing. Leanne's working for Betty Director now."

Shego snorted in what might've been amusement. "Keep your friends close and your enemies closer," she stated. "Though with _them_ you never know which is which. How is the good doctor?"

Kim frowned slightly. "You mean Dr. Director?" she queried and, when Shego nodded, she carried on – her tone slightly tense. "She's fine I'm sure. She just took over this thing with my mother. She is such a..." She couldn't quite say it.

Shego raised an eyebrow and glanced at her for the first time. "She was probably doing you a favour Kimmie," she said blankly.

Kim growled suddenly and shook her head. "Don't you start," she snapped. "Nobody's doing me any favours in keeping me out of this. I won't have it. And, I don't trust Global Justice, they are two timing..." When Shego smiled she stopped suddenly, checking her words. Her green eyes latched onto hers and there was an uncomfortable amount of understanding in them.

"So you turn to a criminal?" Shego queried. "You're reasoning makes a lot of sense Cupcake."

Kim looked at Shego, unable to think of what to say. Quite suddenly the silence seemed like the better option so she chose to remain quiet. Shego smiled at her and turned her attention back to the horizon.

"We start our descent in half an hour."

&&&

Dr. Ann Possible stared at the blank wall in front of her, studying the way the weak light filtered in from underneath the door. She shifted slightly, aware of the soft, yet foreign texture of the tracksuit she had found in the room and became aware of the sounds outside. She sniffed and pulled herself into a small bundle, swallowing against the rising sense of dread and fear she felt as she heard footsteps come closer to the room. They paused outside the door for a few seconds and then turned into a soft knock.

"Dr. Possible?"

It was Adrian Stewart's voice.

"Ann? Are you awake?"

She shifted slightly and turned to look at the door. There was a murmur of voices outside. "I know," she heard Adrian say. "Just give me a minute... Ann?"

He opened the door and stepped into the darkened room. Ann remained still as she watched him close the door and switch on the light. When he turned towards her he blinked, startled to see that she's awake. They stared at each other for a few seconds before he moved closer.

"Did you sleep?" he queried softly.

Ann nodded and tried to smile at him. Adrian Stewart was a kind man and she got the feeling that because he was the only male around, he had the testosterone driven need to protect them. She appreciated that and she realized that she needed that unconscious support to lean on. Besides, she had a feeling that she would need him later to keep Sandra Johnston calm. Although it was understandable, the woman was a lot more fragile than they were.

"I'm not sure for how long," she admitted and pushed herself up. "How are things?"

Adrian sighed softly and rubbed his head. _"That_ woman is back," he said. "The old man wants us to start."

Ann sighed softly and shook her head. "They don't seem to grasp the meaning of 'no,' do they?" she said and hesitated. "Any... Signs that my daughter might be here? Any wild screams of panic coming from outside or a naked mole rat perhaps?"

The man frowned and shook his head. "I'm sorry Ann."

The doctor sighed and shifted her legs off of the side of the bed. "I had hoped," she admitted. "How are you doing Adrian?"

Dr. Stewart sighed and shook his head. "I'm worried Ann," he said. "When do you think your daughter will come? Shouldn't she be here by now?"

Ann swallowed and slipped her feet into some comfortable trainers. "It depends on where we are Adrian," she admitted. "I can't tell you how quickly or how slowly they normally do this. I rarely ask my daughter about her afterschool crime fighting life."

Adrian moved forward to give her a hand in getting up. "Why is that?" he asked as he pulled her upright. "Don't you want to know?"

Ann snorted, surprised by the frankness she could express in the company of this stranger. "No," she said directly. "I don't. I never... approved of this lifestyle. I never wanted this for my daughter. But my husband and his mother encouraged her, or rather – let her be. I decided to do the same. The problem with children Adrian is that, from the moment they hit their teens, you become their enemy and you have to do everything within your power to keep them by your side. Not stopping Kim from going out, but rather encouraging her and giving her the means to defend herself in the dangerous world she dove head first into was the only way I could hold onto her." She sighed. "Now that I've let her go, I find that I would rather not like to know what I let her go into. It's selfish and poor mothering perhaps but it is all that I can bear."

Adrian frowned at her then shook his head. "I'm glad I don't have children," he said quietly. "Though, it would've been a nice thought to know that somebody out there is looking for me." He frowned and looked at the door. "What are we going to do Ann?"

The woman grimaced before she set her jaw to a determined expression.

"Stall," she said. "Stall as much as we can."

&&&

She shouldn't have been surprised that they landed the jet in a parking lot filled with private aircraft but she was. Looking around the space, Kim hopped out of the jet and frowned at Shego who had made, she had to admit, a perfect landing.

"Where are we?" she queried.

Shego glanced at her and shook her head. "If I told you Cupcake," she said dryly. "I'd have to kill you."

Kim snorted and grinned at her because she used the cliché but blinked suddenly when she saw the expression on Shego's face. "You're serious?" she queried aghast.

Shego locked up the jet and started walking towards a door. "Of course," she said. "The people here value their privacy as much as I do mine. They come here to escape, have some time for themselves away from the usual public eye. Some of them live here purely because it allows them to have a discrete life amidst the flare of wild publicity." She sniffed. "We respect each other's privacy."

Kim's eyes went wide suddenly as a thought dawned on her. "This is your home?!" she queried.

Again, Shego stopped and gave her _that_ look. "No Princess," she said. "I won't take you there. This is a retreat of some sorts. But yes, it is private and yes, I do stay here occasionally." She sniffed and seemed a bit agitated. "So you respect my privacy and act with discretion."

Kim's mouth went dry at the thought of seeing the woman's private residence, even if it was just a temporary one. She realized without a doubt that she was about to learn more about her arch-nemesis than she had ever dreamt that she could and the thought was as daunting to her as it was to Shego.

"Of course," she said quickly to confirm her cooperation. "Of course Shego, thank you for bringing me here."

The woman snorted and carried on walking. Kim, feeling a bit self-conscious without her shoes or backpack, followed doggedly behind her. They went through a set of doors and into a key activated elevator at the end of a short corridor. Kim was surprised to see that there were only ten floors, numbered from 0 to 9, but soon realized that the floors were security code labelled instead of the conventional numbering. Shego keyed in a code and waited patiently for the elevator to reach its destination. Kim tried to judge how far they travelled but the journey was very quick. When the elevator doors opened Shego took a hold of Kim's arm and guided her to the end of a nondescript hall. There she opened a door and pushed Kim into the dark apartment. Kim stepped into the darkness, her heart thundering in her chest and her senses open as if she expected to be attacked at any moment. The feeling vanished though the moment Shego flipped a light switch and closed the door behind them. The room was, as far as she could tell, windowless though the lights cast a surprisingly natural glow around it. Decorated to accentuate the feeling of space the open plan room provided, Shego's furniture whispered 'internal decorator'. Kim watched dumb struck as Shego walked over to a glass topped dining table and picked up the mail that had been placed on top of it.

"You have to tell me your shoe size," she said without looking at the teenager, her eyes scanning over the various envelopes. "We'll send for some and some clothes. You can't go walking around like George of the Jungle. I have a catalogue..." She paused, having opened a letter, and quickly scanned its contents with a frown. "...that you can page through." She finished her sentence and quickly sorted the mail into two piles.

Kim watched her and shifted awkwardly, aware of the faint smell of leather furniture that lingered in the air.

"What are we going to do now?" she queried.

Shego glanced at her and held up the one pile of mail. Without warning her hands ignited, burning the bundle to ash. "As I told you," she said. "I don't know where your mother is and I don't know who took her. So, I'm going to try and set up a meeting with someone who might."

Kim's mouth was very dry as she swallowed. "Until then, what are we going to do?"

Shego sighed softly and glanced at the ash on her table. She started to push it around then abruptly straightened up and walked to the one corner.

"Wait," she said. "And sleep. I've been awake for a long time and I suspect that you have as well. There's a clean bathrobe in the bathroom and I'll give you one of my shirts. There's only one bed here but you can have it, I hardly use it anyway." She touched a hidden button and a soft humming noise filled the room.

Kim watched in fascination as the whole wall started to move. Within seconds a window that stretched all around the room was revealed. Unable to help herself and aware that she looked a bit like Bambi trapped in headlights, she moved forward to admire the view. She stopped in front of the black leather couch and stared across the unknown city. They were several stories up and the view was fantastic. She swallowed and noticed that, although it had only been about two hours since she and Shego had departed from the lot, the sun was already setting. They must've crossed several time zones to come here. She swallowed again, feeling a bit out of her depth and turned to look at Shego. The raven haired woman was looking at her, her green eyes unreadable. Kim shifted and rubbed her elbow, looking at her socks hidden in the high pile of the white carpet. "Ah..." she hesitated. "Bathroom?"

Shego pointed her in the direction of two doors. "Would you like anything to drink?" she queried still in the same indifferent tone that she had been talking in ever since they entered the apartment. "I've send a grocery list ahead so we should have food in ten minutes so there's no milk but I think there should be some coke and beer in the fridge."

Kim blushed and started to move in the direction of the bathroom. "I ah..." Her stomach turned nervously. "I don't drink."

Shego snorted and went into the kitchen. "Of course not," she said as she opened the stainless steel fridge. "This should be more to your liking then." She tossed something at Kim and only her quick reflexes stopped it from crashing into her. Kim looked at the bottle of flavoured mineral water in her hands and sighed.

"Thank you," she said. "I'm ah... going for a shower."

Shego didn't look at her as she too opened a bottle of mineral water for herself.

"Sure," she said. "I'll put that t-shirt and catalogue on the bed. I'm briefly going out after that, just make yourself comfortable. If the groceries have come, help yourself to anything to eat."

Kim nodded and started moving again. Shego still wasn't looking at her but instead had opened the bottle of water and was taking a sip, staring at the closed fridge. The teen wasn't sure if she should thank her or offer to help with anything. She felt terribly uncomfortable in Shego's personal space and a bit disappointed at the anticlimax that the word 'wait' had been. But, they were still doing _something_ even if it was doing nothing together.

'_Not like Global Justice,'_ Kim thought as she finally made it into the bathroom. She had a choice of bath or shower but she decided to take the latter. She couldn't quite make herself relax in the woman's company and figured that she'd be able to handle anything Shego threw at her better standing up in the shower than lying down in the bath. She heard Shego move around in the room next to the bathroom and without warning, just as she had slipped out of her cargo pants and crop top, a door on the other side of the bathroom opened. Kim yelped and grabbed for her discarded clothes but the only thing that appeared was a brief show of Shego's arm and a gray t-shirt that she dropped on the floor.

"Relax Pumpkin," she heard the woman say through the closed door, her voice barely hiding its mirth. "Or, this is going to be a very long mission."

&&&

_To Be Continued..._

_AN: And, home safely. For the first time in almost two years I can live in the certainty that I won't be moving again for at least six months. I cannot tell you what a strange thought that is. Anyway, here I am. Not much to say about this chapter, only that I'm once again indebted to my Beta for doing this. I'm not always an easy author, lol, and he's had to figure out a few really odd sentences with this one. But, he made it flow, so thank you. :) _

_Please read and review! And keep safe. :) If you don't, you can't come back and read and review again ;). _

_Peace everybody, _

_Alyssa  
3-;-- _


	10. Stalling

**Chapter 10: Stalling. **

They walked down the empty gray corridor, their given trainers squeaking on the tile floor. Dr. Ann Possible stared at the back of Dr. Caroline Hewitt, watching the way her curly hair bobbed up and down as she walked. She found herself hating the woman's calm manner and her smile. She would've preferred it if she had been a cold and sinister woman. Her warmth, which felt irritatingly genuine, was misplaced and almost twisted in light of their circumstances. She sniffed sharply, causing the woman to turn around and smile at her.

"Are you alright Dr. Possible?" she asked. "I trust you had a good rest?"

Ann refrained from glaring at her and rather gave her a cool, blank stare. "How would you have answered that question if you were in my position?" she queried.

Dr. Hewitt frowned, despite her smile and shrugged. "Yes and very well?" she offered. "The rooms are very comfortable, we are so sorry for not being able to give each of you a separate bed. Did you all manage to get some sleep?" She looked at the other two.

Sandra didn't answer, rather keeping her gaze firmly fixed on the ground in front of her but Adrian shifted angrily and pulled himself up to his full height.

"You speak as if this is some sort of hotel woman," he snapped. "How can you be so calm? Do you have any _idea_ what your boss is going to make us do? How do you think we must feel?"

She frowned again in her pristine way. "Honoured," she said and turned away from them. "You are the best, which is why you were chosen. Very few people can say that."

Sandra Johnston spoke up for the first time. "What?" she queried without looking up. "That they've been chosen to perform some macabre surgery on a young man? Gosh, that really is something to put on our résumé."

Adrian smiled at her encouragingly, pleased that she voiced her opinion. Ann glanced at Sandra but it was Dr. Hewitt's reaction that she was interested in. The woman didn't seem phased by Sandra's words.

"Do you understand what we're going to do?" Ann queried suddenly as she stopped walking. "Are you aware of the consequences of this surgery? Do you know or rather, _understand_ that your boss wants us to cut into his son's brain as if it's a piece of butcher's meat?"

Dr. Hewitt seemed irritated that they had stopped and glanced at her watch. "I understand that it's more refined than that," she said patiently. "Now, can we start moving again?"

A brief look passed between the two captive doctors as Adrian went to stand beside Ann. "I don't think you understand how major this operation is," he stated calmly. "Dr. Hewitt, _Caroline_ can't you see that if anything goes wrong then Mr. Monsieur's son will be, for all clinical purposes, a piece of butcher's meat as Ann said. This is an impossible feat that you're asking of us. The chances of this succeeding, with the results that your boss wants, are close to zero. There's a reason this practice was discontinued."

The blond doctor gave him a patient look. "But there's also a reason they performed hundreds of these operations during the 1940s," she said, sounding exasperated. "They wouldn't have continued with the practice if it was a complete failure. Now, can we please start moving again? They are waiting for us."

Neither of the two moved. "Do you care about the family Caroline?" Ann queried before they could be ushered forward. "How long have you known the boy? We don't even have a name for him."

Dr. Hewitt looked at her watch again, clearly growing impatient. "For your information," she said blankly. "I've known the family for a very long time. Mr. Monsieur put me through medical school; I wouldn't be here if not for him. I trust him to make the right decisions and to do what is best for his family and his business. I wouldn't be standing here if I didn't, now can we please move on?"

Again Adrian and Ann shared a look; this time instead of saying anything they both crossed their arms stubbornly. Dr. Hewitt frowned at them and then sighed softly. She glanced up to the guards beyond them and just made a brief gesture with her hand. They walked forward and turned on their stun lances. Sandra squeaked and leaped forward as one waved it at her. She grabbed the two doctors by their arms and pulled them forward after Dr. Hewitt who had already started walking.

"Don't be stupid!" she hissed under her breath. "And for heaven's sake don't antagonize them!"

Ann sighed softly, but glanced over her shoulder slightly nervous. "They won't hurt us," she hissed at the nurse. "If they do, we won't be able to perform the surgery."

Sandra looked at them with a pleading expression on her face. "You are irreplaceable," she said softly. "I'm not. _She_ can do my job just as easily in a pinch. I think that's why I'm here, so that you two can be... encouraged." She grimaced. "I've been thinking about it. Why else would they pick me?"

Adrian stiffened. "Surely not," he whispered softly, looking at Caroline Hewitt's marching back. "And, don't say things like that – you're irreplaceable, don't give them any ideas otherwise."

Sandra gave him a grateful look, but she didn't look convinced. Ann was too unsettled by the idea to say anything. She patted Sandra's arm before she quickened her pace and fell instep next to Dr. Hewitt.

"Tell me," she said. "Where are we going?"

Dr. Hewitt glanced at her and smiled; her calm demeanour back. "The operating theatre, of course," she said. "We're all prepared for you."

Ann stopped again. "No," she said aghast. "You can't just do this. I'm... " She glanced at Sandra. "Not prepared." The blond blinked at her surprised.

"Dr. Possible," she said patiently. "How can you not be? I made sure that you have everything in your room. I was told that you managed to get through all the information yesterday."

'_Yesterday?'_ Ann thought as she pulled her bedside manner around her like a shield and slipped her hands into the tracksuit's pockets. _'How long have we been here? How long since this ordeal started?'_ "True," she said. "But, needless to say Dr. Hewitt – I've never done an operation of this kind. I need to consult some medical journals, run my own tests on Mr. Monsieur's son and take my own x-rays and CT scans. I can't just leap in and start cutting him apart."

She could see immediately that she had the woman's attention by the way she frowned. "That makes sense," Dr. Hewitt said as she regarded the three of them. "I told Mr. Monsieur that he was a bit overeager."

Adrian didn't look at Ann as he too stepped up to the blond woman. "Why don't you let us run some tests today?" he offered. "Sandra and I can do that, with the help of your technicians of course, and then Dr. Possible can do some research. She is right, this is a very delicate procedure, I really don't feel comfortable just leaping into this. I presume you have all the facilities available?"

Dr. Hewitt was reaching into her pocket to produce a mobile. Ann looked at it longingly, wondering what had happened to hers. _'If we can get that one, or our property, then I might be able to phone home or Wade could track us.' _Her heart rate increased as she found herself taking a step closer to the doctor, wondering if she would be able to grab it from her and have enough time to phone Kim's assistant. Dr. Hewitt turned her back on them and walked a bit away from the group. Ann took a step to follow her but found herself restrained by a hand on her arm. Sandra had grabbed her by the arm and was looking at her with a pleading expression. Ann sighed softly and patted the woman's hand as she turned her attention back to Dr. Hewitt. _'Probably not,' _she thought miserably. _'They might not catch me but they could hurt the others.' _

"Yes Mr. Monsieur," she heard her say. "But, they have suggested another course of action. Dr. Possible first wants to look at Jeremy herself, run her own tests and do some research on top of the information that we've given her." She hesitated. "No sir, I think that it's a reasonable request. It is a difficult operation... Yes sir." She listened for a bit longer then said her good bye and slipped the phone back into her pocket. She looked back at them and smiled.

"He gave his approval," she said and started walking back in the direction that they had come. "Let me take you to our medical rooms."

Ann followed her, her legs suddenly feeling as if they weight a ton. _'Time,'_ she thought relieved. _'We just got some extra time... Hurry Kimmie, please... '_

&&&

The apartment was empty when she was finished with her shower.

Kim stepped out of the bathroom hesitantly in the bathrobe and pushed some wet hair behind her ears. Looking around, she slipped into the main bedroom and saw that Shego had put out a pair of boxer shorts for her as well as a hairdryer.

'_The good host,' _Kim thought as she picked up the hairdryer and took it back into the bathroom to where she saw a plug by the mirror. _'Who'd have thought?'_ Before she started drying her hair she studied the plug to try and see which adaptor it used. It might give her a clue to which continent she was on. The hairdryer was American, but she was dismayed to note that the wall socket had a built-in universal adaptor.

'_I can be anywhere,'_ she thought as she washed a comb that was on the sink and started drying her hair, teasing the knotted strands apart with the comb. _'And nobody knows where I am. For the first time in my life, nobody has a clue.' _

She couldn't decide if the thought was invigorating or petrifying. She had never had to make a decision alone before, not one of this magnitude anyway, and it was frightening to think that she was completely responsible for her own actions. She wondered suddenly if this was how Shego had felt when she left the shadow of Team Go.

'_Don't be silly,'_ she told her reflection. _'You're not quitting Team Possible, you're merely helping your mother. You can't compare yourself with Shego.'_ Despite that thought, she suddenly found it very difficult to meet her own gaze. While she was busy with her hair, she heard the front door open. Her first instinct was to rush out and see if Shego was back but she schooled herself and diligently finished working with her hair. When it was dry enough she let her hair settle, made sure that her bathrobe was still securely tied and calmly stepped into the front room again.

It was empty save for a couple of bags of groceries.

Kim let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding and scolded herself. She looked around the apartment but the person who had brought the groceries was gone. She went to the front door and tried to open it but found that she needed a security code. Fighting a sudden burst of panic and trying hard to tell herself that she wasn't a prisoner, she went to the grocery bags and rummaged through them. She soon discovered that the items were placed in colour coded bags, depending on whether the items were meant to be frozen, refrigerated or just packed in a cupboard. Feeling giddy with nerves at being alone in the woman's home Kim found herself unpacking the bags and clearing up the grocery bags. She wanted to clean up the mail ash that Shego had left on the living room table but discovered that the villainess had already done so and also packed away her mail. Still giddy, with every one of her senses waiting for any sign that Shego was coming back, she made herself a cup of camomile tea and got a bagel and some cream cheese from the things that had been brought. There were some odd salad bits as well so she added that to her creation. She tried to imagine Shego doing the same on an ordinary night but the thought was as unsettling as the first glimpses of Shego's private life that she had seen in the hospital.

'_She's not a villain to me anymore,'_ Kim thought as she finally settled on the leather couch by the window. _'I see her as a person, and that's what's scaring me. That's why my stomach is twisting around like it is.'_ She bit into the bagel and stared out of the window at the city lights. She couldn't help but feel that the view was very lonely.

The bagel was finished before she wanted it to be. Kim washed the plate that she had used as slowly as she could and tidied the kitchen up again, all the while wishing for Shego to return. When she was finished she remembered the catalogue Shego had left her and went to the bedroom to retrieve it. At first she was delighted to see that it was a Club Banana International Edition then, when she noticed the prices, she felt a little guilty to think that Shego would have to spend money on her. She tried to console herself by saying that Shego had earned her money illegally and by spending it on legal merchandise was a way of using her money for good.

She _hoped_ that it was legal merchandise.

Deciding not to think on it too much Kim quickly found her mission clothes and wrote both their codes and her clothes size down on a pad Shego had provided along with the catalogue. She found herself wondering what Shego's monetary value was and if this small shopping spree was like pocket money for her. Not for the first time she found herself cursing the unfairness of the world. She saved the world and did babysitting and she barely made ends meet at the end of the month. Shego assisted a man who was constantly trying to rob the world of breathable air and clearly earned millions.

She started to flip through the magazine more slowly but soon found herself yawning uncontrollably. Shego was right, she had been awake for hours and she had not been sleeping well. Yawning again, she put the catalogue and notepad down on the kitchen counter and went to the bathroom to retrieve the shirt Shego had left for her and brush her teeth. She had found a new toothbrush in the shopping bags and had assumed that it's for her. Shego had certainly thought of everything else. In the bedroom she slipped into the boxer shorts and shirt and carefully lay down on the black covered bed. She stared at the ceiling for a bit before she got up and turned off the light. She didn't know whether to leave the door open or close so left it slightly ajar. She went back to the bed and slipped in underneath the covers. The bed linen was clean and smelled fresh and almost familiar. When she closed her eyes she was taken back to those precious moments that she had shared with Shego in her hospital room. Despite all the overlaying smells of the hospital this smell had been there as well, a lingering fragrance unique to Shego.

She liked it.

Inevitably, as sleep started to drift closer, Kim found herself thinking that she had always liked the way women smelled. Her mother, Mrs. Stoppable, her third grade teacher Ms. Brown, the list of women was endless. She had even noticed that every one of her cheerleaders had a different smell. It had never been unpleasant but rather comforting.

It wasn't that men smelled bad, she just... liked the way women smelled more.

That didn't make her a lesbian...

_Did it?_

&&&

She stalled going back to the apartment, she couldn't help herself.

Shego was still wondering what the hell she had let herself in for when she decided to help the teen hero. Having dear Kimmie sit next to her death bed was one thing, having her in her apartment was a completely different thing. _What was she going to do with her if none of her contacts knew anything about her mother?_ _What was she going to do if they did?_

Having Kim Possible here made her uncomfortable. She couldn't quite pinpoint the cause of her unease. She had spent too much time thinking the past couple of weeks and hadn't fully prepared herself for leaping into action of any kind. She was strangely concerned for Kim's mother who she knew had shown her great compassion during her stay in the hospital. She had also felt indebted to Kim and her whole kindergarten for saving her life, something she wasn't use to feeling. And, above all, she felt ridiculously fond of the teenager herself. She had tried to forget the way it felt when Kim touched her, or the way they kissed but it was very hard.

Kim was vulnerable at the moment and seemed to have placed all her trust into Shego's hands. In the view of Teryl's betrayal, Shego was painfully aware of how precious a thing it was to hold. She wasn't ready for the implications of losing herself in the teen's desperation to find her mother, nor was she ready to have the teen in her house.

But, she was there now and there was nothing she could do about it.

It frightened Shego that the thought pleased her.

So, she left the apartment to phone her contacts, but also to get away from Kim's presence. She dialled every corner of the criminal community that she knew and was eventually, after an hour's struggle, given a vague line of hope. Even then she didn't speak to the information source directly but rather to one of the many henchmen that made a living of answering telephones. It wasn't good enough for her, so she insisted on a direct meeting.

She was told that they'd get back to her and cut off.

It was very vexing.

Shego went back to her jet to retrieve her overnight bag and remembered that she had to order some clothes for Kim. Realizing that it had to be done as soon as possible, she reluctantly returned to the apartment, wondering what she'd find. The main room's lights were still on when she entered it, but the bathroom and bedroom were in darkness. The teen hero was nowhere in sight, so Shego presumed that she had gone to bed.

She immediately felt a flash of anger because she thought that the groceries had not come yet but upon closer inspection she realized that Kim must've packed everything away. The few things that remained on the counter were probably items that she didn't know where to put. Shego snorted but found herself smiling as she placed the items into their proper cupboard.

'_Very nice of you Cupcake,'_ she thought and looked around the rest of the kitchen. There was a plate in the sink and it was still quite wet. Shego touched it and glanced at the bedroom. The door was still slightly ajar and it beckoned her like a flame did a moth. She bit her lip and snuck over to the bedroom making, as Drakken had said, less noise than a ninja. Barely breathing she pushed the door open and looked into the room.

Kim Possible appeared to be asleep, very discreetly curled up on one side of the bed. Shego listened to her breathing and found herself stepping closer to the bed. Halfway there she realized what she was doing and backed out, cursing herself.

'_If she wakes up,'_ Shego thought bitterly, _'she'll probably leap up with one of her cheerleader-ninja style kicks and break your ribs again. Let sleeping heroes lie.'_

She went back to the kitchen and made herself a bagel, taking note of which ingredients Kim had used. _'She likes her bagels the way I do mine,'_ she thought as she went to sit on the couch by the window to eat it. She loved this apartment for the view, it was part of the reason she brought Kim here. She found that she wanted to give the girl a different perspective of villainy. Shego saw a small reflection of herself when she was younger in the girl and knew how destructive it could be not to know about the gray expanse between black and white slivers in life. She didn't want to turn her to crime of course, but she felt obligated to change her world view.

'_She's ready for it,'_ Shego thought dryly. _'She wouldn't be here if she wasn't. And, there was of course the _other_ matter to consider... '_

She found herself remembering the kiss she had shared with the teen hero. She was pretty sure that Kim came here wanting to answer some questions about the other gray areas in her life. It was only natural, Shego was pretty sure she had opened a floodgate of emotions inside the hero. As Teryl had done for her...

Her mouth thinned as she abruptly lost her appetite. She stood up, tossed the half eaten bagel into her waste bin and went for a shower. She made it a long one, so hot that it almost scalded her skin. She remained under the water until she felt clean again then stepped out, feeling very tired suddenly and very drained. Her chest was hurting, more out of habit she guessed than anything else, and it took a lot of effort for her to dry her hair with the hairdryer Kim had conveniently left in the bathroom. Wrapped in a bathrobe, she found herself drawn to the bedroom again. She went to stand by the door, looking at the teen hero. She was still lying in exactly the same position as she had before. Again Shego found herself stepping forward and this time she made it all the way to the bed. She sat down on the edge slowly, watching the steady rise and fall of Kim's breathing in the dim light. She reached out carefully and rested a hand on Kim's covered leg, wondering suddenly if she could just slip in next to her. She would just lie on the other side of the bed; Kim wouldn't even know that she was there.

'_Until she woke up of course,'_ Shego thought dejectedly and looked at her hand. It had not been content to just rest on Kimmie's leg and had found its own trail up her calf. She blinked startled and stood up quickly. _'That's it,' _she thought as she fled the room, _'molest the teenager in her sleep. That's a new one for your criminal record. Pervert.' _

&&&

It was only when Shego left the room that Kim found it possible to breathe again. She closed her eyes and let out a steadying breath, puzzled, exhilarated and a little frightened by the villainess' behaviour.

She had been awake when Shego returned and had listened to her move through the apartment. She had almost sat up when Shego came to look in on the bedroom the first time, but there had been a strange vulnerability in Shego's gaze when she looked at her that Kim didn't want to disturb. So, she had closed her eyes and forced herself to breathe deeply and calmly. She thought that she had heard Shego enter the room but when she opened her eyes again she realized that she had been mistaken. Shego was in the kitchen making something to eat and she was alone in the room with only her frantic heart beat to keep her company. She had followed Shego's progress through the room, had heard her throw something into the waste bin and had listened to her take what was most probably one of the longest showers in history. She had been surprised when Shego returned to the room, bringing in the fresh smell of soap and shampoo with her, and once again it had taken a lot of self-control not to let the woman know that she's awake. She was even more surprised when Shego did come into the room again and slowly sit down on the edge of the bed. She didn't dare open her eyes and was pretty pleased with herself for keeping her breathing as controlled as she did.

It all went to pot, though, the moment Shego touched her.

She didn't know where it came from, because she hadn't been looking at her, but quite suddenly she found a frighteningly familiar pressure on her leg. She had had to bite her tongue to stop herself from yelping and had concentrated so hard on not moving that she even forgot to breathe. Her eyes had flown open and she had stared at Shego with wide eyes, watching her as she stared at the space next to her, her gaze distant. Her heart rate had increased tenfold as she felt Shego's hand begin to wander up her leg to her calve and knee. She was sure that Shego would hear the thundering in her chest but the woman was so lost in thought that she didn't even blink. Then, as abruptly as she had come, Shego got up suddenly and left the room, her dark hair bobbing down her back like a waterfall. Kim saw her snatch the catalogue and her notes up from the table and all but throw herself down on the couch. She stayed there for about five seconds before she got up again and started searching for something. When she returned to the couch she had her mobile in her hands and was making a call in a low voice, flipping through the catalogue as she did so. She got up only once after that to get a glass of water and settled down on the couch again with a blanket. She didn't get up again after that, though Kim watched her for as long as she could.

She didn't think that she would be able to sleep at all now, with the sensation of Shego's hand still burning on her leg.

&&&

_To Be Continued..._

_AN: And another one. Due to my current statistical logistics (ie status: Job hunting) I have more time to write. I'm going to try and see if I can pop out as many chapters as I can in this time, so keep an eye. ;) _

_On a subject of status, I'm still not sure if I should make this T or M. Keep an eye in both sections if it suddenly disappears. I'm not quite up to date with the guidelines but intend to refresh my memory. _

_Have a great day! Thank you for all the reviews! :) It's very appreciated.  
A thanks also to_ noncynic _for ironing out the odd creases!_

_Alyss  
3-;-- _


	11. Preparation

**Chapter 11: Preparation.**

Dr. Ann Possible sat by the table in the small deserted office and stared from the textbooks to her notes. Her head hurt from too much coffee and the pressure on her bladder was reaching a point that she couldn't deny it relief much longer. She shifted uncomfortably and glanced at the door. She didn't have a watch or anything to tell her what the time was but judging by the amount of notes that she had made and read through she figured that it must be quite a while. She wondered how Adrian and Sandra were getting on. She was worried about the woman. She doubted that she was with the group for the reason that she thought but she was the weak link none the less.

'_If we can't keep it together,'_ Ann thought, _'they'll have us. If just one of us starts to break...' _

She looked at her notes. _'Have I broken already?'_ she thought bitterly and picked up a page. _'I researched this as if I'm going to do the operation. I have imagined doing it. Am I giving in?'_ There was no answer in the solitude of the office.

Her cell.

She shook her head and pinched the bridge of her nose. She would have to do something about her headache and her bladder. She pushed her notes aside and got up, feeling a moment of vertigo. She had been sitting down for too long. _How long has it been?_

She went to the door and knocked on it twice. A guard on the outside opened it and looked at her expectantly. She smiled at him and motioned down the corridor.

"I need to go to the restroom," she said. "And, is there any way you can get some aspirin for me?"

The guard didn't answer but made a motion for her to follow him. He led her to the women's restroom and motioned for her to go inside without any mention of the headache remedy. Ann sighed miserably and glared at him for good measure before going into the restroom. It didn't faze him at all but it made her feel better as she went about her business. It was only when she was washing her hands that it suddenly struck Ann as odd that this facility would have male and female restrooms. She looked around her and noted that the cubicles were old. The mirror had old black spots in it and the windows were covered with a rusted wire...

_Windows!_

She was on the toilet seat of the one cubicle before she could stop herself, clawing at the wire, trying hard to pry it away from the window. She looked out to try and determine where they were but the window led out onto a walled up alleyway. She looked up to see a bright blue sky overhead. Feeling an onslaught of tears threatening her, she pulled as hard as she could on the wire then slumped against the wall, miserable and defeated. A knock on the door told her that she should stop and go out again to face her captors.

'_It was worth a try,'_ she thought as she climbed off of the toilet and went to the door. '_A stupid try, but a try none the less.' _What would she have done if she had managed to get out? Where would she have gone? More to the point, she thought guiltily as she returned to the office. _'What would've happened to the others if she escaped?'_

'_Think smart Ann,'_ she berated herself. _'Don't make stupid decisions, they could get you or the others killed.' _Without looking at her guard she opened the office door and stepped inside. '_Speak of the devil.'_

Adrian was sitting by the table she had been working at, his features pale and gaunt as he looked over her notes. She hadn't noticed it when she woke up but he had more than a day's stubble growth on his chin and his hairline seemed darker than when she woke up. Once again she was struck by how much time was passing without them paying attention to it. She closed the door behind her and went to the other side of the desk. It was only when she sat down that she realized that he had brought her some lunch. Adrian looked up as she pulled the wrap closer and gave her an apologetic look.

"I didn't know what you liked," he said. "So I got you chicken, is that alright?"

She smiled at him and tested her wrap. "It is," she said. "Thank you Adrian, I didn't realize how hungry I was. Where's Sandra?"

The man shrugged and pulled more of her notes closer. "She went back to our... room," he said. "If you're alright then I'll join her shortly. We're done with our tests, we can't do anymore."

Ann sighed softly and grimaced. "I think we've won another day at least," she said dropping her tone. "How is the boy? Did he say anything?"

Adrian shook his head with a defeated motion of his hands. "Nothing," he said. "He seems resigned to his fate or otherwise he just doesn't know what's happening. I think that he's a bit of a messed up kid Ann. We couldn't talk to him."

Ann grimaced and put the wrap down, not quite as hungry as she thought she was. "I'll see him when I'm done here," she said. "Check him over for myself."

Adrian nodded though he wasn't looking at her. He motioned to her notes as he pulled a book closer. "So, you think you can do it?" he queried.

Ann sniffed sharply but kept her reply neutral. "I can," she said. "But I'm not going to, Adrian."

He nodded, but he still refused to look at her as he motioned to her notes. "Do you think it's possible to get the results that he wants though?" he queried. "Or are they all barking up the wrong tree?"

Uncomfortable with the conversation, Ann picked her wrap again and poked at it. "Well, theoretically speaking," she started slowly. "Yes, it can be done. I have done some reading and it is possible to..." She cut herself short; horrified by the way she was approaching it. "What I meant to say was I can see where they got the idea from," she said bitterly. "But, again Adrian – I'm not doing it."

The anaesthesiologist gave her a half-amused look. "You don't have to convince me Ann," he said simply. "What are you going to tell Dr. Hewitt when she comes in demanding to know what you've done with your time?"

Ann smiled bitterly and motioned to her notes. "I'll show her these," she said. "And request a model to practice on, after I saw the boy of course. That should take me the rest of the day."

He shook his head but smiled at her and stood up. "Just be careful," he said and passed her a couple of aspirins. "I was told to give you these. I presume I'll see you when I see you?"

She nodded, carefully taking the tablets. "Thank you Adrian," she said genuinely when he opened the door. His guard was there immediately, watching him with hawkish eyes. The doctor glanced back at her and smiled tiredly before closing the door behind him leaving her alone with her macabre notes and throbbing headache. She made to stand up but fell back in the chair and closed her eyes so that she didn't see the papers distributed over the desk.

'_She could do the operation,'_ she thought tiredly as she picked up her wrap again. It was possible and fascinating. A part of her would've loved to see the results of such an experiment but the larger part of her knew that she would not be able to do it and live with herself.

'_But what if you have to do it to live?' _A softer voice nagged at her as she started to read through what she had written. _'What if doing it was the only way you can see your sons again? Make love to your husband or hold your daughter? Would you do it then?'_

&&&

Kim was yanked from sleep by an insistent beeping sound. Disorientated and sleepy she tried to find her Kimmunicator to shut it off but soon realized that she wasn't in her own bed and she couldn't remember where she had put it. Kim sat up groggily and stumbled out of bed, trying to find her backpack and her clothes. It was only when she glanced out of the bedroom door and saw the figure on the couch in the other room that she remembered where she was. Grabbing the bathrobe that she had worn the previous night, Kim quickly moved forward. Shego was still curled up on the couch under a dark green blanket but she too had started to stir. Before Kim could reach her she turned over and groped for the phone lying on the floor. She found it and fumbled for the answer button. When the noise cut off Kim wondered whether she had made it in time, watching as Shego brought the phone to her ear without making a sound. The woman's eyes were still closed and she curled herself up into a tighter bundle as she listened to the person on the other side. Kim licked her lips and looked from Shego's tussled hair to her bare leg that peeked out from underneath the blanket. She swallowed dryly and tried to focus on the mobile conversation. Shego's eyes were open now as she stared at the piece of carpet in front of the teenager's feet. Her mouth thinned as she briefly took the phone away from her ear and cleared her throat.

"Of course," she replied coolly when she brought the mobile back to her face, her liquid tone slicing through the silence of the apartment. "Thank you." She closed her eyes again and dropped the mobile on the floor, pulling the blanket over her head to expose more of her bare leg. Unable to help herself, Kim found her eyes drifting to Shego's thigh, taking in the pale green tinge of her skin and the angry darker marks that were left by the dialysis machine. Her hand tingled strangely as she found herself stepping forward to touch the fresh scars, feeling as if her heart was barely beating.

She was a step away from the couch when Shego shifted, startling her and making her jump two steps back.

"Be a peach, Princess," the villainess growled from under the blanket. "Stop hovering and turn on the percolator. Coffee's next to it in a tin, one scoop for each cup and one for the pot."

Kim swallowed and unclenched her hands that she had balled into fists at the woman's voice. "Sure," she said and turned around. "Ah... Good morning Shego."

Shego snorted and slowly edged her long legs off of the couch. "It better be," she said sharply and coughed when she pushed herself upright. Kim glanced back worried but blushed when her gaze met only bare skin where the bathrobe had shifted away from Shego's shoulder. She hadn't realized that the woman hadn't bothered to put on any sleepwear underneath the robe. Shego rubbed her neck before she pulled the robe back in place. When she looked up to see Kim staring she blinked then glared at the younger woman while pulling the robe even tighter.

"You have two of your own," she snapped and stood up, walking past Kim in a huff towards the bathroom. Kim swallowed and shook her head, feeling her embarrassment burn on her cheeks. She wanted to say that she was sorry but Shego slammed the bathroom door shut between them before she could apologize.

Taking a steadying breath she went into the kitchen and turned on the percolator as Shego instructed. She noticed that there were more shopping bags on the glass table but left them despite her curiosity. She heard the tap go on in the bathroom as she set out two cups and then heard Shego move to the bedroom. She glanced at the door but Shego shut that as well, obscuring her view.

'_I wasn't looking,'_ Kim told herself as she watched the dark liquid fill the pot. _'I was just shocked. That's all.' _She sniffed and looked out of the window. There was a hazy light outside though she couldn't tell what time it was. She glanced at her bare wrist, more out of habit than anything else, but remembered that she had left everything in the empty lot. Her heart ached suddenly as she found herself wishing that she could call Wade to find out if there was any more news on her mother. In the quietness of the kitchen, she would even have liked to call Dr. Director even if she knew that the woman wouldn't tell her anything. She was just starting to feel sorry for herself when Shego returned, having exchanged her bathrobe for a black silk blouse and some slacks. Her emerald eyes danced over Kim before they turned to the shopping bags. She picked them up and brought them to the other side of the kitchen counter where she sat down and started searching through them. Kim watched her then looked at the percolator as it made a beeping sound.

"Black," Shego said from her end of the counter. "Three sugars. There is milk in the fridge if you want some, though..." She hesitated. "You should know because you unpacked it... Thank you." She pulled out two Club Banana bags from the shopping bags and pushed them over to Kim's side. "Those are for you, put the two-piece on first – we have to make a small detour."

Kim frowned at her as she poured the coffee and looked around for the sugar. "Detour?" she queried, itching to tell Shego to make her own coffee so that she could look in the bag. "Where to?"

Shego glanced up, sighed softly, and motioned to two pots sitting by the microwave. "Informant of mine," she said and pushed another smaller package in Kim's direction. "We've got a meeting in two hours with someone who might know where your mother is."

Kim looked in the pots and found that one had some artificial sweetener tablets in and the other sugar. "Why not just tell us directly?" She queried as she finished Shego's coffee and handed it to her. The villainess gave her a sideways look and shook her head, opening a magazine that she had taken from the bag and paging through it.

"Information is too valuable just to be exchanged electronically," she said. "Have you noticed that Drakken never makes a deal online or via the telephone? Your good sources or suppliers know that those mediums aren't secure."

Kim made herself a cup and leaned against the counter, frowning. "Drakken normally steals everything," she pointed out. "I don't think I've busted one deal of his that he was playing 'fair'. Where's this meeting?"

A small smile played in the corner of Shego's mouth as she shrugged. "He calls it outsourcing," she said. "The meeting is about an hour from here, so we have an hour to get dressed and get what we need."

Kim had visions in her mind of a shady cloak and dagger venue as she pulled the Club Banana bags closer. "What will we need?" she queried and took a top from the bag that would expose just a fraction less skin than she did in the shower. "Ah... Shego?"

The woman seemed to enjoy her confusion and sat back, watching her with bright eyes. "Luck," she said, "charm, good manners and a pair of stiletto heels in your case. Leave the rest to me."

With her heart practically beating in her throat from anxiety Kim pulled out another piece of clothing. It was a pair of leather trousers to go with the top. She found herself blushing and tried desperately to cool it down. Deciding that if she said something she would just embarrass herself further Kim set them aside and reached for the other bag, fully expecting to find her mission clothes. She was horrified to realize that Shego had even taken initiative with them. Pulling a black, tight fitting suit much akin to the villainess' she gaped at her and put it down on the counter.

"Shego!" she exclaimed, not missing the way Shego tried to hide her smile in her cup of coffee. "This is not what I asked you to get!"

The woman made a considering sound and looked back to her magazine, her eyes shining with mirth. "I never told you that I'd get what you asked for," she pointed out. "There's more to life than cargo pants and crop tops Kimmie, it's time you grow out of those."

Kim gaped at her and gave the suit a wild shake. "There's nothing wrong with my mission clothes!" she snapped. "I can't wear this, I'll look like... like... Cat woman!"

Shego actually chuckled. "A step up from Shee-La of the Leopard people I'd say," she smirked and stood up smoothly. "I'll give you a backpack and there's some boots in the other bag. Pack those," she motioned to the suit, "and that." She motioned to the smaller package. "And get a move on; if we hurry we can have something to eat there. I have a pair of heels that will fit you, I bought them too small." She became a bit wistful. "Some things are worth squeezing for."

Kim glared at her as she walked to the bedroom, coffee and magazine in hand. _'How can she be so confident?'_ she fumed as she made another cup of coffee, slipping the black suit and other clothes back into the Club Banana bag. She wanted to follow Shego to the bedroom but paused, not sure what she'd find as it was clear that Shego still needed to get dressed as well. Growling because the villainess managed to vex her so, she grabbed the bags and shoved the smaller package into them as well.

"Where should I get dressed?"

&&&

The place felt like a hospital, Ann decided as she was once again led through the corridors. She hadn't picked up on it the first time but now that she had time to study her surroundings she felt a sense of familiarity in the layout. She had been in enough hospitals through her career to be able to know when she walked through one with her eyes closed. By her guess it was an old place, probably dating back to the Second World War or further – depending on where they were of course. There were nurses' stations that had been converted to guard points, male and female rest rooms and old rooms that had been converted into offices much like the one that she had been sitting in for most of the day. The one section of the old hospital had been kept intact though and Ann felt her anticipation increase ten fold as they took her past a few empty hospital rooms. She shuddered to think why Mr. Monsieur needed these and wondered what kind of business he was really into which allowed him to have easy access to all the hospital equipment they needed.

The guards took her to the last room in the row and waited outside as she walked in. The boy, Jeremy as Caroline had called him, was in the last bed in the corner looking out of the window. His dark hair had been shaven off already in anticipation of the surgery that she was supposed to perform today and an IV was fixed in his arm. He didn't look at her as she came closer, but kept his light grey eyes fixed on the scene outside the room. These windows weren't covered and over looked a gray courtyard. Unable to help herself, she first went to the window and looked at the scene the boy was watching. They were about two stories up, though Ann had felt that it was considerably more with the riddle of passageways they had come through. The courtyard was formed by three whitewash buildings, all about five stories high. There were dark stone cliffs and rocks just beyond and against the buildings which led Ann to believe that parts of the structure were underground as well as carved into the rock. When she looked beyond the buildings she could see the dark blue shine of the sea.

'_We're probably on some island,' _she thought._ 'Typical.'_

She sighed and, steeling herself, turned towards the young man. His gaze had shifted from the view to her. Although it couldn't have been more than a week since she saw him last he looked paler and more harrowed since that fateful day in her office. He looked leaner with his hair shaved and there was a haunted look in his gray eyes as he watched her. She smiled at him and stepped closer, putting down the notepad that she had brought with her.

"Hello Jeremy," she said warmly and sat down on the edge of the bed. "How are you doing?"

He didn't answer her but turned his sullen expression back to the window. They sat in silence until Ann couldn't stand the uncomfortable air anymore. She stood up again and took a stethoscope from the wall that had been hanging over the bed. Jeremy stiffened immediately then sat up straighter to expose his back in a conditioned response. Ann's heart ached when she noticed the X-Men comic books next to the bed. They hadn't told her his age but he couldn't have been more than a few years older than her daughter, if not the same age. Her throat tightened at the thought of her own child but she pushed her emotions aside, hiding behind her doctor's calm like a shield and rather focused on her patient. Jeremy diligently breathed in the rhythm she instructed him to as she rested the stethoscope against his back.

She wondered about his state of mind.

According to the files that she had read the previous day his father had subjected him to a vast amount of treatments in an attempt to try and change his personality. They had tried everything from gruelling psychiatric sessions, to hypnotherapy and drugs. Their attempts hadn't changed anything and had, in fact, seemed to draw the kid more and more into himself. Looking at him, Ann wondered if it was a conscious resistance to the change that kept him preserved or whether their attempts had all been flawed. When she finished listening to his chest and heart she sat back and looped the stethoscope around her neck in an old habit.

"Jeremy," she said softly, tilting the boy's chin to meet hers. "Jeremy, look at me for a second please."

The boy grudgingly turned his gaze to her, his emotions unreadable in the depths of his eyes. Ann took his hands and squeezed them.

"Do you know what your father wants to do to you?" she queried. "Do you understand what's going to happen?"

He looked at her uncomfortably and tried to squirm away from her touch. When she didn't let go, he dropped his gaze in submission and sighed softly.

"You..." His voice was heavily accented. "You will fix me."

The words struck a painful cord in her and she struggled to keep her emotions together. "No Jeremy," she said softly and squeezed his hands. "I can't fix you because you are not broken, child. There is nothing wrong with you. This surgery of your father is unnecessary."

He frowned at her again, his gaze briefly flashing to his comic book before he shook his head. "Mon père... My father, he says it is. I have to change if I am to do what he needs me to do."

Ann let out a slow breath and shook her head. "You don't have to change," she said heatedly. "Jeremy, you are your own person who has the right to make his own choices. Do not let your father make this decision for you, tell him to stop. Life is not about doing what your parents want you to do, it's about realizing your own dreams and needs. What do you like to do Jeremy?" When he shifted uncomfortably and avoided his gaze, she persisted and once again lifted his chin to meet her gaze. "What do you like to do Jeremy?" she said again. "What is it that you want to do right now?"

He started shivering, the stress of answering her clearly visible on his face. He tried to look away but when she held his face in place he closed his eyes and let out a ragged breath much akin to a sob.

"Play," he breathed hoarsely. "I want to play American basketball and English football. That's all."

Ann shuddered and sat back. Jeremy looked so lost that when she looked at him, she gave in, leaned forward and gave him a fierce hug. "Then I'll make sure that you do that alright?" she whispered. "I won't do the surgery, I promise you. Hold onto that thought Jeremy, don't let it go, alright?" She pulled away from him and patted his cheek. "What does your mother think of all of this?"

The pain in his eyes was like a pounding sore. He opened his mouth but froze and looked beyond her.

"Dr Possible, this is highly inappropriate."

Ann stiffened but forced herself to relax and squeezed Jeremy's hand that was once again in hers. Without moving too quickly she slipped off of the bed and turned to face Mr. Monsieur. The man was standing in the doorway of the room, his face a mixture of disapproval and anger.

Ann met his gaze with her own defiance and patted Jeremy on the knee. "We'll talk again," she told the boy and picked up her notebook. "Good bye for now, Jeremy."

The boy muttered something and picked up his comic book without looking at his father. Ann looked at him and sighed softly. She was obvious too tardy for Mr. Monsieur because he barked at her again.

"Dr Possible!"

Glaring at him, she marched across the room and pushed past him into the corridor. Before he could reprimand her she turned to him and jabbed a finger into his chest.

"Don't you dare tell me what's inappropriate, Mr. Monsieur," she snapped. "I haven't kidnapped three people to perform some crazy surgery on my son."

The older man grabbed her hand without warning and, for a few seconds, Ann thought that he was going to hurt her but he seemed to remember how precious her hands were because he let her go and turned away from her.

"I wouldn't ask personal questions about your family, Dr. Possible," the man growled at her. "Do not mention my wife to my son. She was a weak minded woman who imposed too much of her ideas on the boy, filling his head with silly notions. He has to forget her."

Ann glared at him and crossed her arms in front of her chest, not sure whether she should be relieved or disappointed that he hadn't hurt her. If he had broken her finger or something she wouldn't have been able to operate.

"Why?" she snapped. "Because she's not here? Have you snatched him away from her as you have us? Or worse, have you killed her? Made her disappear with your obvious wide contacts so that she won't corrupt your son?"

She did not anticipate the man to lunge at her. Ann gasped as Mr. Monsieur grabbed her by the arm and slung her into the nearest wall. "I didn't kill my wife!" he hissed at her. "Do not ever presume that, I am not an evil man. I did not kill her. The next time you see my son will be when he is on the surgery table." He let go of her as quickly as he had grabbed her and turned around. The quick action made him loose his balance and almost fall over. Caroline Hewitt appeared out of nowhere to steady him but backed off the moment she knew that he wouldn't fall. Mr. Monsieur didn't even thank her as he limped down the corridor, leaning heavier on his cane than before.

Dr. Hewitt sighed softly then turned her attention to Ann who was still against the wall, shaking with shock.

"That wasn't very smart," she said softly and stepped closer to her. "Are you alright Dr. Possible?"

Ann shook herself and backed away from the woman. Her wild gaze flicked to Jeremy's hospital bed. The boy was sitting upright, his eyes wide as he watched the scene unfold. When Dr. Hewitt rested a light hand on Ann's shoulder she slapped her hand away and glared at her.

"Don't touch me," she hissed. "Don't you dare touch me!"

Caroline sighed again in her peculiar way. She seemed to do it whenever she was faced with something she didn't understand.

"Take it easy Dr. Possible," she said gently. "I won't hurt you. Come on, let's get you something to drink. It's going to be alright, you just shouldn't have brought up Mr. Monsieur's wife. Are you alright?"

Ann looked at her horrified and angry at her calm manner. _'This woman's insane,'_ her mind whispered to her in its panicked state, _'completely mad.' _

"Why?" she queried. "Because he killed her? Hated her? What? What the hell is going on here and what the fuck is all of this?" She wanted to cry suddenly. "Why are you doing this to us?"

Dr. Hewitt made a soothing sound as she herded her down the corridor. "He didn't kill or hate her," she said. "She left us. It was very hard on the family but they have moved past it. Jeremy's problem has given Mr. Monsieur something to focus on."

A rage unlike anything she had ever felt before exploded in her as she turned and grabbed the blond doctor to give her a good shake.

"There is no problem with the boy!" she yelled – her voice echoing down the partly deserted corridor. "The problem is with you and that man! And with this place and what you want us to do!" She only realized that the guards had moved closer when she saw Caroline hold up her hand to keep them away. She didn't say anything, but met Ann's fury with her cool, calm gaze.

Ann shuddered and released her, turning away as she did so. She didn't flinch away this time when she felt the woman slip her arm around her waist.

"Let's get you back to the others Dr. Possible," she said softly. "Don't worry, it's going to be alright."

Ann was too emotional to make any sort of comment.

'_My daughter will come for us,'_ she clung to the thought. _'My daughter will save us...'_

&&&

Once again she found herself watching the teen hero.

Shego leaned against the doorframe as she watched Kim brush out her hair. The girl looked very different in the clothes she had gotten for her. Shego hadn't thought about it before but she realized that Kim was in that transitional phase between looking like a teenager and a young adult. In the more mature clothes Kim's childish youth faded away and was replaced by an uncertain glow of adulthood.

She was a beautiful young woman.

Kim paused with her brush strokes and grimaced when she looked at herself. She then seemed to sense Shego staring at her because she swallowed and turned her gaze to the door. They looked at each other for several heartbeats, one's green eyes filled with uncertainty and the other with mystery.

Shego stepped forward slowly, keeping her face painfully neutral.

"Do you need help?" she queried softly. "Or do you know what to do with your hair?"

Kim bit her lip, never loosing contact with her gaze. "I don't," she said softly. "I've never worn something like this before. I know it's not... I mean. It's not that different but it feels..." Her gaze returned to the mirror as she studied her reflection, unable to complete her sentence.

Shego glanced at her clock then slowly crossed the distance between herself and the teen hero. Kim's eyes flashed to her immediately, but she didn't stiffen or look defensive. Rather, her gaze reflected the same vulnerability that she had shown in the parking lot. Shego found herself smiling gently as she slipped in behind her and put her hands on the young woman's shoulders. She felt Kim shiver at her touch, but didn't say anything and rather reached to take the brush from the hero's hands. Very carefully, she started running it through the already smooth hair.

"I called in a favour from a source of mine," she said as she focused on the brushstrokes, not looking at Kim's reflection. "They say that Global Justice hasn't moved in any direction yet. I think they are still at the dead end that you left them with."

Kim grimaced, her lips thin as she looked at Shego's reflection behind hers. "They can't find their headquarters unless someone gives them a map," she said bitterly. "I told Dr. Director that I couldn't understand how they can put Ron on surveillance for MONTHS yet not find anything on my mother. They are only really effective when there's a gain in it for them."

Shego chuckled softly and put the brush down. She took some hair bands from her dresser and made a high pony tail in Kim's hair. "It's the way of the world, Pumpkin," she said and took some hairclips as well. "People will never stick their necks out for you unless there's some gain in it for them."

Kim sniffed loudly and glared at her. _"I_ would," she said. "And you use to when you were a hero."

Shego smiled as she started to twist a few strands of Kim's hair and pin them up on her head so that they formed a mass of ringlets. "Yes," she said. "But you are still very naïve Kim Possible and I quit, remember? People only ever do things for profit."

Kim's eyes narrowed as she watched her reflection. "And where's the profit in helping me?" she queried softly.

Shego's heart actually skipped a beat but she didn't let it show. "You saved my life," she said softly. "I owe you."

Kim pulled away from her so that she could turn around and look at her. There was a passionate fire in her eyes that melted Shego's heart.

"And what if I told you that you don't?" she said. "What if I told you that it was a favour and that you don't have to repay me? That we were quits the moment you stepped out of the hospital. Would you help me then?"

Shego blinked at her and took a steadying breath as well as an unconscious step back. Kim continued to look at her, her green eyes flashing with the challenge of her words.

"Yes," Shego found herself saying eventually. "Of course."

Kim smiled slightly and crossed her arms. "Why?" she pushed.

Shego grimaced and broke contact with her gaze. "Because if I don't," she said softly. "Then you are better than I am." She looked back to the teenager. "And we both know that that's not true."

The amount of gratitude that shone from Kim Possible's gaze was sickening. Shego sniffed sharply and glared at her, all too conscious of the tight feeling in her throat.

"Turn around," she barked. "At this rate we'll have to get take out. We can't be late."

Kim nodded and turned around again. Swallowing, Shego stepped closer to her and reached to touch her hair again. She was surprised when the teen grabbed her hand and gave it a squeeze.

"Thank you," she said softly and – after a seconds hesitation, brought it to her lips for a light kiss.

Shego stared at her, frozen by the burning sensation on her hand. She sniffed sharply and shook her head.

"Don't mention it," she said. "Ever."

&&&

_To Be Continued..._

_AN: Ah… Yes, a bit long. Lol. Or _longer_ I should say. Despite my best efforts, I couldn't wrap this chapter up. I try to keep my chapter lengths consistent but sometimes it just doesn't turn out that way. ;) So, this is me making up for that short Chapter 8… _

_This is the last chapter that will be labelled T. I've gone through the guidelines and realized that this will most definitively be M. Or, I should make it M as I had originally planned to be safe. _

_Hope you enjoyed this! Thank you VERY much for all the reviews; it's deeply and GREATLY appreciated. _

_Alyss _

_3-;--_


	12. The Devil's Triangle

**Chapter 12: The Devil's Triangle. **

The neon sign read: _The Bermuda Triangle. _

Kim looked at the flashing sign, feeling morbidly amused by the picture of the sinking ship. She had seen photos of it in some of the _Villains' Weekly_ magazines she managed to get her hands on at the occasional villain expo that she and Ron infiltrated but she had never had the chance to visit the infamous, five-star restaurant and hotel. She sniffed and ran a hand down her leg self-consciously, feeling the tell-tale texture of her leather pants.

She hated to admit it to herself, but she looked good.

The stilettos Shego had lent her fit her perfectly and went well with her skin tight pants. She had felt self-conscious about the way the dark silvery gray top exposed almost her whole back and showed off her cleavage but Shego had given her a lustrous leather jacket to wear over it. She also couldn't help but admire how quickly and effectively Shego had pinned up her hair, purposefully allowing only a few of the strands to drop out in tiny ringlets.

Remembering the super villainess, Kim slipped her hands into the jacket's shallow pockets and looked back. Shego was climbing the small set of stairs behind her, her head bowed low as she spoke to a young man who had met them as they parked her jet. When she reached the top of the stairs, she sent the boy off with a sharp wave of her hand and looked up towards Kim.

The teenager found herself smiling warmly, though her stomach twisted in anticipation. Shego raised an eyebrow at her, the beginnings of a smile flickering in the corner of her mouth. She crossed the distance between them and slipped her hand into the crook of Kim's elbow. She was wearing a tight fitting mini-skirt with high boots that was, judging from its green and black colouring, clearly custom made. Shego had complained on the way there that it didn't fit her as well as it did before she got ill though Kim couldn't find anything wrong with her outfit except perhaps that it showed even more skin than hers did. She admired Shego's long gloves, wearing them was something that very few women could pull off.

Without a word, Shego steered herself in the direction of the door, bypassing a long line of people waiting to go in and be seated. When the bouncer spotted her he raised a slight eyebrow in Kim's direction. Shego smiled at him, her touch shifting on Kim's arm as she glanced at the other customers then at the man.

"Shego," she said her voice ringing with confidence. "And company, we're expected."

Once again the man looked at Kim sceptically and it took a lot of self-control from the hero's side not to show how uncomfortable he made her. She couldn't help but feel that it wasn't her presence that interested the man but rather her presence _beside Shego_. _'I'm not gay,'_ she felt herself rehearsing in her mind. _'I'm not with her on a date. I'm not gay...' _The intensity of her thoughts almost made her laugh.

'_Who are you trying to convince?' _

After giving her a thorough once over, the bouncer moved with exacting slowness and unhooked the barrier for them. Shego flashed him a cat-like smile, seemingly oblivious to the sour looks that the other customers send their way though Kim could feel them burning between her shoulder blades. Her sense of unease increased a notch as she started wondering who of them might recognize her. She didn't enjoy a celebrity's fame, though in the villain circles she an icon for international law enforcement. Shego seemed to sense her unease because she pulled her closer, allowing her hand to drop away from her elbow and dropping it to rest lightly on her lower back.

"Anything wrong, Pumpkin?" she queried softly as they walked through a set of self-activating doors and into the main room of the restaurant.

Kim nervously looked around the anteroom and brought her face closer to Shego's as they started to descend down some stairs. "What if someone recognizes me?" she queried in a low voice. "Won't I be kicked out? Or attacked?"

Shego laughed softly, the light pressure on her back becoming more prominent. "Not if you're with me, Princess," she said. "I know the rules of this place and intend to play by them. So... There are a few things you should abide by." She motioned around the room with her free hand, allowing Kim to take in all the various tables where people sat in quiet conversation and the stage area where a young woman was singing a Norah Jones song. "One: not everybody here is a villain or a criminal so relax and stop looking so suspicious."

Kim blinked and immediately dropped her gaze to the floor, her cheeks warming to a blush. Shego sniffed and continued in a low voice.

"As with the people in my apartment, there are members of society who likes to get away from the normal social scene to let their hair down. This is a safe haven where people can practice what ever leisure activity they like in peace."

Kim couldn't help herself as she gave the woman a sceptical look. "Let me guess," she said dryly. "Some of those activities just happen to be illegal, right?"

Shego grinned at her with the same feline pleasure that she had shown the bouncer and shrugged. "Very few things are illegal in this stretch of ocean," she said. "But, that brings me to my next point. Some of the people here _are_ criminals and very dangerous so it's best not to make eye contact."

Again, Kim felt the stirrings of anxiety in her stomach. "Shouldn't I just have stayed in the jet?" she queried. "I might... mess up."

Shego shook her head and again, pressed her hand reassuringly into her back. "Just follow my lead and don't, I repeat _don't_ do anything stupid." Her touch became more insistent. "Don't wander off, don't ask questions and don't look at anybody funny..."

Kim took a steadying breath and briefly allowed herself to lean back against Shego's touch. "I'll follow your lead," she said softly. "I... trust you in this Shego."

The dark haired woman sighed softly and abruptly stepped away from her. "Here's our table," she said and pulled a chair out for Kim. "Would you like anything specific to eat or are we just eating from the buffet?"

Kim raised an eyebrow and looked around them for the buffet table. "Ah, how much time do we have?" she queried and sat down slowly, allowing Shego to push the chair in for her. She moved to the other side of the table and sat down, motioning to a waiter as she did so.

"Half an hour," she said. "So, perhaps the buffet? It would be quicker."

Kim nodded her acknowledgement and carefully reached for the sparkling water that was on the table. "Thank you for this," she said again watching the woman, trying to ignore the butterflies in her stomach. _This place is nice..._ "I really appreciate it."

Shego rolled her eyes and gave the approaching waiter a warning look. "I told you not to mention it," she said and turned to the waiter. "Two for the buffet and a bottle of orange juice please. I know where it is, don't bother explaining." She cut the young man off midsentence as he was about to explain to her how to get to the table of food. He bowed politely and disappeared, barely sparing Kim a glance as she poured some water for her and Shego. The teenager realized that she was starting to get warm in her jacket but she wasn't about to take it off. She envied the easy way Shego wore her clothes, clearly aware of how good she looked and that she had nothing to be ashamed of.

Kim swallowed and looked at the glass in her hand, taking a sip of water to work some moisture back into her mouth.

"This place is nice," she offered. "I can't remember the last time I went out for a meal to a place that wasn't Bueno Nachos."

Shego sat back and crossed her legs, watching the teenager with a studying expression.

"I've noticed that your sidekick's pretty passionate about the place," she said dryly. "Hasn't he ever tried to take you on a proper date?"

Kim blushed and quickly took another sip of water to cool her cheeks. "I told you, we don't date," she said a bit affronted. "We're not together, Shego."

The way the villainess smiled told Kim that she _did_ remember but had chosen to scratch at the particular topic. "Had any other dates?" She asked and took a sip of her own water. "Surely he's not the only fish in Middleton High."

Wondering where this was going, Kim looked at her hands and shrugged. She was _really_ warm. "I... don't have time to date," she said. "It's demanding."

Shego smiled and stood up smoothly, motioning to Kim to do the same. "And you're in high demand?"

The teenager followed her lead, shrugging uncomfortably without looking at her. "Yes," she said a touch defensively then realized that it wasn't quite the truth. "I mean, sometimes. Mostly. People know I'm busy." _Where was this conversation leading? We are here to try and save my mother. _

Shego smiled and lead the way to the buffet table. "Not too sure, are you Cupcake?" she said.

Kim glared at her. "I have a lot on my plate," she said. "And you certainly..." She caught herself before she finished the sentence. "And you certainly don't have grounds to judge my dating life on. How's your love life been since Teryl Adamson?"

She intentionally used the name as a weapon, but felt deeply ashamed when she saw Shego flinch and turn away from her. Kim bit her lip and rested a light hand on Shego's shoulder as they stopped by the food.

"I'm sorry," she said softly. "That was uncalled for."

Shego's face was blank as she picked up a plate and started putting some food on it. There was a wide choice of things that they could take, from cold meats and salads to what appeared to be a roast of some sort and caviar. The arrangement was laid out in such a way that it could suffice for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

"Their duck's to die for," Shego said calmly as she helped herself to a Greek salad. "Though it's too rich for me as breakfast. I'd highly recommend the cheese platter."

Kim grimaced and found some scotch eggs among the salads. "I'm happy with a cold meal," she said. "And, I'm not fond of solid cheese. Remember Wisconsin?"

Shego shuddered theatrically and nodded. "I couldn't get the smell out of my hair for weeks," she admitted. "I'll see you at the table, remember – twenty minutes and counting."

Kim watched her return to the table before she turned her attention back to the buffet. She wasn't very hungry but forced herself to take a few more things before she returned to the table. Despite what Shego said she couldn't shake the feeling that she should be on her guard and, if anything should happen, she must have the energy to defend herself. She returned to the table, feeling miserable and weary.

She shouldn't have mentioned Teryl Adamson. Shego was playing the same game with her that she was playing. It seemed that neither of them wanted to mention their new strange relationship yet both kept the topic just below the surface of all their other conversations.

When Kim sat down she realized that Shego hadn't really touched her food yet but was watching her intently. Kim grimaced and finally, unable to take it anymore, took of her jacket. Shego smiled immediately but quickly dropped her gaze to her plate and picked at the mixed fruit she had added.

Kim blushed self-consciously but took a steadying breath, deciding to try and wrap herself in the same confidence that Shego had. She picked at her food for a moment then looked up to see that the older woman was looking at her again. She gave her a tentative smile and made a vague motion with her hand.

"I like this place," Kim said. "I realize that it's probably super dangerous to hang out here casually but... it's nice."

Shego nodded slowly, casually sipping a new glass of orange juice without breaking eye contact with Kim. The teenager swallowed and dropped her gaze.

"Listen Shego," she said softly. "I'm sorry that I mentioned Teryl Adamson, it was uncalled for. I should be able to take as much as I give."

Shego sighed softly and made a dismissive gesture with her hand. "You could say the same for me Pumpkin," she said. "I'm sorry I scratched."

Surprised by the apology, Kim found herself smiling as she studied her companion. She dropped her gaze briefly then looked up again.

"You see," she began slowly. "Dating is... a touchy topic at the moment. The prom is coming up and... I'm going to go with Ron."

Shego raised an interested eyebrow as she poured herself a glass of water. Kim noticed that she wasn't eating her food either.

"I thought you said you two aren't dating," she said quietly, her green eyes piercing as she regarded the teenager.

Kim swallowed and shrugged uncomfortably. "That's the thing," she said. "We're not. We don't... I mean, we always go to these sorts of things and we took dancing lessons together last year, but we're not romantic. People think we should be I think, but I don't feel that way about Ron."

She couldn't tell by the blank expression on Shego's face whether she was listening or not. When the woman looked away and fidgeted with her food Kim grew impatient and leaned forward, resting her hand on Shego's wrist.

"Are you listening?" she queried.

Shego raised an eyebrow and met her gaze as she slowly pulled her hand away. "Yeah," she said. "Teenage dating drama, blah blah blah... Apart from the date that Drakken and I almost embarrassed you out of existence, have you had any other escapades? What happened to that blond backstreet boy?"

Kim shrugged uncomfortably and glanced around to see if anybody was looking at them. "Mankey? He started dating Tara, a girl from my cheerleading squad." She shrugged again. "It was no big deal, I sorta figured out that I had a crush on the idea of having a crush. You know? I liked him, not because I liked him but because I thought that I should like him. Does that make any sense?"

She couldn't read Shego's expression as the older woman shook her head in an exasperated fashion and ate a little bit. "I suspect," she said dryly. "It makes more sense if you're seventeen. What's this coming round to Kim?"

The teenager bit her lip and let out a slow breath.

"Us," she said. "It's coming round to us, Shego."

Genuine surprise shone from Shego's face as she sat back and frowned. "There is no 'us'," she said automatically, causing Kim to glare at her.

"Why did you kiss me then Shego?" she queried. "In hospital, before you busted out. Why did you kiss me?"

Although she wasn't eating, Shego coughed as if she was choking and reached for her glass of water.

"You asked me to Pumpkin," she said after she had taken a sip, not looking at the teenager.

Kim snorted and shook her head. "Bullshit," she said. "I asked you if there was an 'us'. Essentially I guess if... if you think I'm a lesbian. You kissed me all on your own."

It was Shego's turn to snort as she shifted on her seat, still not looking at Kim. "You should've seen it coming Kim," she said blankly. "I was trying to escape."

Kim stubbornly shook her head, still watching the woman. "I don't think you were," she insisted. "I think Drakken showing up was purely convenient. You took a chance."

Shego made a sound deep in her throat. "Well, there you go then," she said. "I was improvising. Now, do you really want to discuss this? We're running out of time."

Kim looked at her smugly. "We're killing time," she said. "And, we have fifteen minutes. Why did you really kiss me Shego? What was the result of your so called test?"

The villainess stared at her for a long time. Kim could literally feel their fifteen minutes slipping away from her like sand through an hourglass. Finally, Shego seemed to come to some sort of decision and leaned forward, pushing her half eaten plate of food aside.

"Only you can answer that, Kim Possible," she said softly. "If you want to know why I kissed you, it's because I wanted to give you a chance. You say that you didn't ask for it but I'm calling your bluff. You were asking for it the whole time that I was in the hospital. Now, you expect me to give you the answer to your riddle, but I'm telling you now – I think that you already know."

Feeling as if she was doused in ice, Kim found herself leaning forward to meet Shego in the middle of the table. "Did you feel anything?" she queried softly. "After we kissed. Did you think of me when you left? Did it change as much in you as... as it did in me?"

She did not expect the amount of raw pain that she saw in Shego's eyes seconds before she blinked and shook her head. "I would be a stone," she said softly, "if I was untouched by human emotion. Truly evil if I disregarded what you did for me and said to me." Her words were quiet, with a soft gentleness in them that made Kim's bare arms erupt in gooseflesh. "But, if I speak my mind now Kim, we will loose focus. We are here to save your mother; I said that I will help you as you have said that you will follow me. Let's not make a triangle out of this straight line by bringing emotion into it."

Thinking that it was already a triangle, Kim reached across the table again so that she could touch Shego's hand. "It's not that simple," she almost pleaded.

Shego stood up abruptly and stepped away from the table.

"It is to me," she said. "Our time is up, come on."

Kim watched her leave, almost aching with desperate frustration. She looked at a clock that was mounted on the wall near them and stood up slowly, completely forgetting about her exposing top and the jacket she left on the table.

"We still have five minutes," she muttered. "A lot can change in five minutes."

&&&

Ronald Stoppable, aka "The Ron" was staring television, absolutely furious that there was nothing on to watch. Sitting in front of the Possible's monster monitor, he could not fathom how it was possible that all three hundred and fifty cable channels had absolute rubbish on.

And, he had been through them three times.

He was trying very hard not to think, an action he had never been very good at. Ron considered himself to be a man of action, not a man of deep thoughts. He left tedious tasks like that to Wade and Kim.

Unfortunately, Kim wasn't here and Wade was busy trying to find her. He doubted whether the genius could help him anyway and Kim... Well. Kim was the source of his troubles.

Ron sighed softly and settled on pro-wrestling. In the kitchen he could hear Mr. Dr. Possible trying to prepare a meal for him and the boys. Ron had offered to help, but he refused assistance. The youth didn't need to think very hard to realize that the man was keeping it together by a thread. Smart people like Dr. Possible only functioned in normal society because other people helped them to do so. In James Possible's case it was his hard working wife who was smart enough to understand him but balanced enough to provide her whole family with the equilibrium that they needed to keep them from destroying the world and themselves.

Morbidly, Ron couldn't help but wonder what would happen to the three Possible men if Mrs. Dr. Possible never came back. Kim could take care of herself but...

He shuddered at the thought of his best friend, the ghostly impression of her lips on his still burned into his mind. When she had been under the control of Dr. Cyrus Bortel's emotion control devices they had done quite a lot of kissing, but somehow Ron had always known that there was something missing behind Kim's touch. It was one of the reasons he felt that he should break up with her in an attempt to control her erratic behaviour. This time though, he had sensed a whole wave of emotion behind his best friend as she touched him.

He didn't know what to make of it.

Ron knew without a doubt that he loved Kim and that he would struggle to function without her. Life made sense when she was with him because she brought the focus into his world that he sorely lacked.

What Ron didn't know was how he loved Kim. He had managed to convince himself that their friendship would be ruined if they decided to date, but after that fateful night at the Pickle Parade he couldn't help but feel that there might be potential for something more some day.

'_Had that day arrived?'_ He thought as he flipped the channel again. '_If it has, then why did Kim leave him? How could she do that to him?' _

The television provided him with no answers and, feeling miserable and disheartened, he switched it off and lay down on the couch. He wished that he had somebody to talk to.

His eyes found Rufus on the table as he was slowly making his way through the popcorn that Ron had popped earlier.

'_Well,'_ Ron thought. '_Somebody human anyway.'_

As if answering his silent plea, the Kimmunicator beeped suddenly, making both him and Rufus jump. Ron fumbled for the device on the table but Rufus reached it first, jumping onto the answering button. Wade appeared, not looking at all startled that Rufus answered his call.

"Rufus," he greeted the naked mole rat. "Where's Ron?"

"Here!" Ron called and reached for the device. "What's the sitch Wade?"

The boy's face was tense but he managed to grin, his dark eyes troubled as he looked at Ron.

"Kim's been spotted," he said. "Dr. Director's coming to pick you up so that you two can go and get her."

Ron let out a whoop of sudden delight. "Great!" he exclaimed. "Where?" He had visions of his friend wandering through Middleton mall. "Has she found her mother?"

He didn't like the troubled look in Wade's eyes as the boy shook his head. "Ah no," he said. "I think she's found something else. She's in the Bermuda Triangle." He paused, making sure that Ron was paying attention. "With _Shego_."

&&&

_To Be Continued... _

_AN: To everybody living in the southern hemisphere, happy spring day! To those in the northern hemisphere, happy autumn.  
No, I haven't died. :) I have just been very very busy. Have managed to find three part time jobs to keep my financial boat afloat, but I'm realizing that trying to balance them all out is harder than trying to appear normal in society. (twitch, twitch). How I long for a 9-5 job… _

_Hope you enjoyed! Thank you for all the reviews, it's – as always – really very much appreciated. Like a birthday present every day. :)  
A big thanks to my Beta and to noncynic for ironing out the flaws. _

_Alyss  
-;-- _


	13. Negotiations

**Chapter 13: The Negotiation.**

Shego was already walking down one of the narrow hallways leading away from the main dining room when Kim caught up with her. The villainess was walking briskly, her eyes set determinedly in front of her. Kim, still frustrated by the way their conversation ended, tried to say something but the older woman held up a hand to silence her.

"The man we're here to see is called Big Daddy Brotherson," she said. "He's an… acquaintance of mine."

Kim raised an eyebrow. "Bid Daddy?" she queried. "Yeah, I know about him. Acquaintance? That seems like a soft word for your world."

Shego blinked at her, surprised, and narrowed her eyes. "If you know him," she said tightly, "then you should know that he isn't friends with anybody. We have a mutual agreement not to make life difficult for the other person. He keeps me on his mailing list, and I - in turn - pass the odd bit of gossip his way. I hope that you haven't made life difficult for him. It could work against us today."

Kim shook her head, not sure if she should be offended. "We traded," she said blankly, referring to the time that she had to get information out of him about Duff Killigan. "I didn't arrest him if that's what you're asking."

Shego snorted as they stopped in front of a large double door. "Just remain in the background with this one," she said. "I'll do all the talking. I don't trust Big Daddy, so I need you in the room to watch my back. And, remember – he likes games. Don't take anything he says to heart. Chances are he's trying to goad you out. He likes it when people respond to his silly mind tricks."

Kim smiled a humourless smile and moved in behind Shego. "I've seen him work Shego," she said. "Don't sweat it."

The villainess didn't look convinced but, after giving Kim one last warning look, knocked twice on the door.

There was a pause from the inside then a dim; "Who's there?"

Shego sighed softly and rolled her eyes. "She," she said, her voice showing none of the exasperation on her face.

"She who?"

'_You've got to be kidding me,'_ Kim thought quietly.

"Not Shewo," Shego answered. "Shego. Get it right."

There was a soft chuckle from the inside of the room and abruptly the door opened to reveal a very tall man. "I can never anticipate what you are going to say Shego," came a familiar nasal voice from the back of the room. "But, I do believe you've used that one before."

Shego put on a sultry smile and glided into the room, pulling Kim in her wake by her sheer force of personality. "Which is why, as I added," she said with a smile as she walked towards the large man sitting by a fish tank. "I suggest you get it right. You are a very smart man Mr. Brotherson."

The man she addressed was sitting on a soft purple poof on the floor. He chuckled at her words and gestured to the other poof. "Big Daddy," he said, his voice oozing charm. "Please."

Whenever Kim saw Big Daddy Brotherson, she was reminded of the small Buddha statues that you could buy. He was one of the few people in the criminal community who always smiled - a rare trait for those who weren't criminally insane. Although his weight made his age hard to judge, he was already greying in the few dark hairs he had left. His dark eyes were staring at her, not in surprise but in a disturbing look of pleasure. She immediately sensed that this wasn't going to be a straight forward negotiation. The part of her that was still irritated by Shego's quick departure from their conversation wished that the villainess would just beat the information out of him so that they could leave to find her mother. When she realized that she was entertaining the idea, Kim immediately felt a flash of guilt, though it was because she realized that she _didn't _feel guilty.

'_He's just a criminal,_' her mind whispered though her gaze travelled to Shego as she moved forward with a sultry sway in her hips. '_Though, so is she…_'

None of this made her feel any better.

Shego had almost reached the poof but was immediately stopped by the man-mountain that Big Daddy kept as a bodyguard. When she quirked an eyebrow in his direction the criminal smiled and clapped his hands together.

"Password Shego," he said his voice still pleasantly friendly. "I would hate for our negotiations to start on the wrong foot."

The woman rolled her eyes in an exasperated fashion and cocked her hip ever so slightly. "Diddly squad," she said. "Let's hope you have a foot to stand on Big Daddy."

The man glanced at her briefly before he returned his gaze to Kim.

"I find that sitting down is always more comfortable," he said. "Please, take a seat, I would love to know what brings the two of you to my humble presence."

Shego conveniently slipped in between Kim and Big Daddy, forcing the man's eyes on her. "It's your humble knowledge as always," she cooed and sat down on the soft purple poof. "I believe that you are aware of the events that have transpired."

The man chuckled softly and scratched his double chin. "Many things occur around the world Shego," he said. "The prime minister of Britain stubbed his toe on his son's bike this morning because the kid didn't pack it away as his father had asked him. Brittina is currently at her doctor's having a mole removed from her back and the price of Hershey's chocolate is going to increase by two hundred dollars per ton as of tomorrow. Which of these events would you be referring to?"

Shego started to answer but Kim, who was still standing behind her, sniffed sharply and took a step forward.

"My mother of course," she snapped. "Why else would _I_ be here?"

The look Shego gave her would've started a nuclear war but Big Daddy merely smiled and sat back, crossing his hands over his fat stomach.

"There are many things that brought you here today Kimberlee Ann Possible," he said. "And trust me when I say, I don't think your mother's one of them. If you wish to shout at her Shego please do not hold your tongue on my accord, I like a good show as much as the next person."

Shego visibly reined her temper back and turned to look at Big Daddy. "It's alright," she hissed. "We'll have our words in private. But, now you know. I was told by your assistant that you might know where Kim's mother is being held and by whom."

Again, the man scratched his chin. "I might," he said, his dark eyes winking with amusement. "But, first we need to discuss the price of this negotiation. Information, as you know, isn't cheap."

Shego nodded sagely and sat forward; keeping her eyes locked with Big Daddy's. "Of course," she cooed. "But you also have to understand that I'm not willing to pay for anything without any… real body."

Big Daddy chuckled again, though there was a dangerous glint in his eyes as he regarded Shego. "You do know how to bargain," he said. "I love our chats. If you are implying that I will pass on information without any source or result then you are walking a very dangerous line on which I _might_ just think you are trying to insult me." He sat forward. "I hate being insulted."

Shego took his tone in stride and shrugged with a light smile, sitting back in the purple poof and crossing her fingers over her chest to mimic his previous gesture. "I would never insult you Big _Daddy_," there was a hint of something in her voice that made Kim's hair stand on end. Her tone and body hinted at… unspoken promises. Big Daddy Brotherson chuckled again, his eyes shining with delight.

"Of course you won't," he said. "You play your games too well. That is why you require proof that I know where Dr. Possible is being held and that she is still alive."

To Kim's surprise Shego shrugged again and made a dismissive gesture with her hand. "I just need the woman's location," she said. "Everything else is minor detail."

Kim jerked as if hit and grabbed Shego's shoulder. "Shego!" she snapped. "That's not…"

The villainess grabbed her hand in a smooth motion, her touch burning with a hint of her power. She didn't even turn to look at her, but kept her hand on Kim's. Screaming on the inside that her mother wasn't dead, Kim backed down but didn't let go of Shego's shoulder.

Big Daddy was watching them with a small smile on his face. When he noticed that he had Shego's full attention again he grinned at her and shook his head in exasperation. "Kids these days," he said. "They're always talking out of place."

Shego, who had still not let go of Kim's hand, sniffed. "This one won't," she pointed out coldly. "Not another word from her." The threat in Kim's direction was clear. "So, about this proof?"

The fat man smiled and snapped his fingers. His body guard quietly moved to a cupboard in the corner and brought out a box. Kim stiffened as he walked towards her and put the box at her feet before he returned to his place behind his employer. Shego glanced at the box and then at Kim. The teenager swallowed and carefully bent down to inspect the contents. With the cold hand of fear clenching her heart she pulled out a white lab coat. She didn't need the mobile and keys in its pockets to tell her the identity of its owner.

It smelled like her mother.

"Where did you get this?" she breathed, clutching it to her chest. "Who gave this to you?!"

Without looking at her, Shego reached back and touched the first bit of the hero that she could find. She didn't say anything but tightened her hold on Kim's calf as she stared at Big Daddy. Several minutes passed as the two stared at each other in silence. Finally, Shego shifted and took her hand from Kim's leg.

"What's your price?" she said.

The man smiled at her without breaking eye contact. "What's on the table?" he said.

Shego stood up smoothly and flowed over to the small table between them. She smiled in a sultry way as she slid onto it and crossed her legs right under Big Daddy's nose. The man's eyes widened slightly as his eyes travelled the path up her leg to her middle, her chest and finally her face. She smiled when his eyes met hers and rested both her hands behind her.

Kim's mouth when stone dry when she practically cooed. "You know my going rate; I'm offering you a job."

There was an electric silence in the room as Big Daddy regarded Shego. He started to move slowly and gently rested a hand on her leg, his fat fingers travelling to her knee and then down to her calf. Shego didn't flinch, but there was a brief flash of green in her eyes that encouraged the man to make his decision quicker.

"A priceless offer," Big Daddy said eventually, still touching her leg. "But, I think that you are already paying off one debt with this little job. I don't want to tax your time any further." His eyes shot to Kim's. "It's not your mother who's in danger."

Even before Kim realized what was happening, Shego shot up like lightening, effectively placing herself between the teen hero and the information dealer.

"No," she snapped. "You deal with me, don't drag her into this."

Big Daddy stared up at Shego, his face a picture of delight. "Ah, but dear Shego," he said. "You were the one who dragged her here. This is her deal, not yours. I hate talking to the middle man or woman in your case."

Shego's hands curled into fists and Kim knew that she would see her green fire erupt from them at any second. "She has nothing to offer you," Shego hissed. "She doesn't have my capital or resources."

Big Daddy's bodyguard shifted so that he could stand next to his employer but the sitting man seemed undeterred by the silent threat of Shego's powers.

"Exactly Shego," he said. "She has resources _other_ than yours. They might prove to be invaluable."

Shego started to say something else but Kim interrupted her by placing her hand on the villainess' shoulder. "I'll deal with him Shego," she said before the woman could protest. "He's right, you're helping me enough."

The older woman turned around and grabbed the teen's wrist. "You don't know what you're saying Kimmie," she hissed. "You don't know what you are getting yourself into. I won't let you talk to him."

Kim bit her lip but met Shego's gaze calmly. "I want to," she said quietly. "Shego, I choose a path when I decided to come with you. This is just me following through with it. He won't deal with you, you know it."

Shego shivered with anger, her grip tightening on the hero's wrist. "You don't know what you are getting yourself into, _Princess_," she said. "You will be selling more than information to him!"

Kim carefully put her other hand on Shego's and pried it away from her wrist. "My mother's worth it," she said softly. "I'll do it. Please Shego, let me."

The older woman glared at her with a fierce intensity and abruptly pulled her hand away from Kim's. "You don't know what you are doing," she hissed and jabbed a finger at the heroine's chest. "You have no idea." She swung around to glare at Big Daddy who was watching them with a happy smile on his face. When Shego looked at him he lifted his head and made a dismissive gesture with his hand.

"If you'd be so kind as to leave us, Shego," he said. "I would like to talk to Kim Possible alone."

Kim had thought that Shego would protest but the woman so was angry that she merely turned around and stormed out of the room, practically kicking the door open. Her violent departure felt like it left a void in the room and, as the silence settled, Kim began to slowly understand that she might be out of her league this time. She shifted awkwardly and turned to look at Big Daddy Brotherson who was still sitting down, his beady little eyes looking at her as if she was some prize.

"Please," he said when their eyes met. "Sit." He indicated to the poof that Shego had vacated minutes before.

Kim swallowed and slowly sat down, though she was unable to make it look as graceful as Shego had. When she was settled on the soft pillow she met Big Daddy's gaze again and waited for him to speak first. The man looked at her until his bodyguard came over and whispered something in his ear. His eyes widened slightly.

"Ah," he said. "Of course." He turned to smile at Kim. "So, Kimberlee Ann Possible, what do you think I'm going to ask of you?"

Kim swallowed and shrugged uncomfortably. "To… Perhaps not to interfere when some of your people do a job?" she volunteered. "Something like that. It's all I can offer."

The man surprised her by starting to laugh. He shook his head and sat forward intently.

"All you have to offer?" he queried. "Kim, you have access to almost every Top Secret lab in the continent. Some of the most genius scientists working on the most covered up projects of our decade are on first name basis with you. Not interfere in my work? What a laugh. You must know that I'm not that kind of criminal. I gather information Kim, not goods or launch conquests for world domination." When Kim paled suddenly, realizing what he meant, he grinned. "Ah, now you understand."

Knowing that she couldn't back away now, Kim swallowed against the lump that formed in her throat and tried to focus on the memory of her mother.

"What do you want from me?" she queried.

&&&

Shego stormed out of the room, absolutely furious.

"Who does she think she is?" she hissed to herself. "What does she think she's playing at? She has no idea what she's doing. No idea." She stopped in the hallway and looked at the door that she had just come through. It had already closed behind her, locking her off from the deal that was taking place inside.

"Tax my time my ass," she muttered, getting even angrier with herself. She realized suddenly that this was why Big Daddy Brotherson had accepted her request for help. He had been _bargaining_ on the fact that Kim would be the one to pay the bill. He had played her. The big fat bastard had played her.

"Fuck me," she snapped and started pacing. "Fuck me twice." _What had she gotten Kim into?_

Her anger was suddenly multiplied when she felt a wave of fear wash over her. If anything happened to Kim now it was her fault. The hero had been walking a dangerous edge since she started to help her in the hospital and she might just now have pushed her over it.

"Fuck me," she said again stormed to the dining area, remembering that Kim had forgotten her jacket at the table. They were leaving the moment the red head stepped out of that room. The very _second_.

Shego couldn't decide what made her the angriest: Big Daddy using her as a catalyst to get at Kim Possible or the fact that she now feared for the hero's safety.

'_You corrupt everything you touch,'_ Shego thought bitterly though she wasn't sure where the thought came from, _'your power corrupted Teryl and because of that you're in the process of corrupting Kim._' She stopped walking and slumped against a nearby wall, aware of her throbbing head and chest. She had thought that she was past thoughts like that, yet now…

Shego didn't regret her choice to live her life as a villain. To be precise, she loved it. She loved the freedom it offered, the challenges and the pay check at the end of the day. Yet, she knew with a quiet certainty that if the Wegos decided to turn to a life of crime she would tan their hides raw.

She wasn't sure how she felt about Kim coming closer and closer to that chasm. She wanted to protect her, and that angered her more than anything that happened to her the past few weeks. She loved standing opposite the hero; she loved being the dark shadow in Kim's light. She didn't know how that would change once Kim started taking that first step to ultimately selling herself to a life of crime.

Shego snorted and started walking again, rubbing her brow as she did so. _'Now you're being melodramatic,' _she thought with a touch of dry amusement. _'She's different than you are. This won't turn her to crime, though it will hurt her.'_

The thought didn't make her feel any better.

Shego sighed deeply as she walked into the dining room and waved at their waiter. He trotted over with practiced grace and inclined his head when he stopped in front of her.

"Can I get you anything else ma'am?" he queried politely.

Shego shook her head and continued to walk to their table. "No," she said, spotting the jacket. "Just put the bill on my tab. We're leaving."

The waiter nodded. "Of course," he said. "What's your patron code?"

Shego sighed in exasperation though she knew she shouldn't be angry at the lad for not knowing it. "It's BT749#1," she said, reaching their table and picking up her discarded jacket. "You can tell your manager that it was a blast, as always."

The waiter nodded and excused himself from her company. Shego slipped on the jacket as she watched him leave, wondering how things were going between Kim and Big Daddy.

'_What would she agree to do for him?' _

She turned around to go back to the room but didn't look where she went and walked straight into another patron. Shego blinked surprised and took a step back.

"Sorry…" She started saying until she noticed who she had bumped into. Her eyes narrowed. _"You!"_

The blond boy took a step back and chuckled nervously. "Ah, hi Shego," he said and held up his hands in defence. "Fancy meeting you here. Have you seen Kim by any chance?"

Shego growled and released her power to let her hands ignite though it wasn't Ron Stoppable that she attacked. Seeing his gaze flick to someone behind her she ducked instinctively and rolled out of the way, letting a stream of power shoot to her assailant. The person dove out of the way, rolled once then jumped to her feet.

Shego was mildly surprised to find herself face to face with the head of Global Justice herself. Quickly glancing at Ron to make sure that he didn't try a fast one on her she shifted so that she could have a good look at Dr. Elizabeth Director. The woman's pose was almost a mirror of her own, ready for anything Shego might throw at her.

"Hello Shego," she said. "Are we interrupting anything?"

Shego allowed herself to smile though mentally she was making a quick tally of how many people from Global Justice she could see. She doubted that the director had only brought the stupid sidekick as back up.

"Betty," she said. "What a surprise, come for lunch with your toy boy?"

Ron blushed and stammered something that he was going to look for Kim, but the Director just smiled. "I have come for something," she said. "Though it's not him. "Where's Kim?"

Shego snorted, trying to anticipate what the woman's next move would be. "I'm not her babysitter," she said. "That's your job. Stop right there buffoon!"

Ron had tried to make a run for it. Wanting to give Kim more time for her negotiation Shego thought that she'd stop him but Betty Director moved first, making a lunge at her. "Find Kim Ron!" she shouted. "We'll distract her!"

Shego reacted instinctively and moved so that she could throw the woman over her shoulder. The director moved just as quickly though and, as Shego made to throw her, drove her foot into the back of Shego's knee. Her leg buckled underneath her and they both crashed to the ground. Shego growled and drove her elbow into the woman's stomach as they landed but the woman retaliated by rolling so that she could be on top of Shego and gave her a well planned hit in the chest. Unable to help it, Shego grunted in pain and first tried to roll away from her but Dr. Director seized her by the shoulders and hauled her to her feet.

"Let's not take it further," the woman growled. "I don't want to…" She didn't get to finish her sentence as Shego blasted her away from her with her powers. Dr. Director crashed into some tables several feet away from her and lay there dazed. Shego, clutching her chest, coughed once then turned around and, without thinking, fired two bolts of power – one to knock Ron Stoppable off his feet and the other in the direction of more approaching Global Justice agents. As they scattered Shego started running towards Big Daddy's lounge, praying that they were done bargaining.

"Follow her!" She heard Dr. Director shout though she didn't alter her course. Ron was lying in her way so she leaped over him as he struggled upright, still recovering from her blast.

"Hey!" He shouted in her wake. "Where's my best friend?!" Shego didn't bother looking back, though she could hear the multiple sounds of pursuit. As she neared the door she readied her power to blast it open but someone touched her shoulder before she could do so. Without thinking Shego grabbed the person's hand and threw him into the door. Ron Stoppable crashed through the door and skid to a stop a foot from where Kim and Big Daddy had been sitting.

Kim leapt to her feet in surprise, her green eyes wide with shock.

"Ron?!" she exclaimed and rushed to her sidekick's side. "What are you doing here?"

Shego didn't look at them but threw her power down the hallway in Global Justice's direction.

"We've got to go!" she shouted in the teen hero's direction. "Global fucking Justice is here."

Kim blinked and jumped away from Ron, looking at him accusingly. "You brought Betty Director?" She exclaimed then looked wildly at Big Daddy who was being helped to his feet by his man-mountain bodyguard.

Ron scrambled to his feet as Shego moved into the room and closed the door. Its lock was broken but she grabbed a nearby coat hanger and shoved it into the handles.

"Do you have what you need?!" Shego shouted as she put her weight against the door. "She's brought her whole bloody first battalion."

Kim looked wildly from Ron to Shego then at Big Daddy who, despite the obviously tense situation, was still smiling at them. He snapped his fingers and his bodyguard moved to pick Ron up by his black shirt.

"Wait!" Kim shouted above the hard knock that echoed through the room as Global Justice tried to break down the door. "Don't hurt him!" She looked towards Big Daddy, her eyes wide.

"Kimmie!" Shego shouted. "Do you have the information?!"

The hero was panicking, everybody could see it. Ron tried to kick the bodyguard holding him but the man tossed him away from him like a sack of potatoes. He landed face first into the poof. Kim looked from him to Shego at the door then at the information dealer.

"Princess!" Shego shouted again. "Can we leave?!"

Kim swallowed and nodded slowly, though the nod was in Big Daddy's direction. "Yes," she said then shouted louder, above the noise. "Yes, we can leave."

At her words Big Daddy snapped his fingers. The bodyguard drew a cardboard roll from his jacket and tossed it in Kim's direction. The heroine caught it, her eyes travelling to her fallen sidekick. He had finally managed to free himself from the sinking depths of the poof and was standing there dazed, looking from Shego to Kim.

"Kim?" he queried uncertain, looking at her clothes. "KP – what are you doing here and… and what's that? We've got to go!"

Shego grunted again as the agents tried to knock down the door.

"Kimmie!" She snapped and turned so that she could lean against the door with her back. "Are we leaving? Preferably in the next five seconds?!" There was another hard knock and another grunt from the woman.

"_Where the hell is your standard agent compulsory Leatherman?"_ They heard Dr. Director's muffled voice. _"We'll cut a hole through it."_

"Kim!" Ron shouted above the noise at the same time as Shego's "Kimmie!"

They both looked at the teen hero as she clutched the roll to her chest, her face full of confusion and bewilderment.

"Kim!" They both shouted at the same time again. "What are you doing?"

&&&

_To Be Continued…_

_AN: And, between an exhausted author and a sick Beta we bring you Chapter 13. Not much to say, it's WAY past my bed time, almost heading into my wake up time so I'm going to say adieu for now and see you next time. Thank you once again for all the reviews, especially to all of those who I can't thank personally.  
Please read and review as always, _

_Take care!_

Alyss


	14. Crossroads

**Chapter 14: Crossroads.**

Kim clutched the cardboard tube to her chest, looking from her best friend to her arch nemesis. Ron was still looking at her bewildered, confused at her presence and even more confused by her strange behaviour. Shego, on the other hand, was looking at her with a cool expression, having realized what choice lay before her.

She had the information now; there was no reason for her to follow the villainess.

There was another crash against the door as Global Justice tried to break in. Kim could hear Dr. Director shout at her agents and she could see the strain that it put on Shego to try and keep the door shut. Big Daddy Brotherson had disappeared, whisked away by his bodyguard out of Global Justice's way, though Kim could still feel his reedy gaze on her, fully convinced he was watching the drama unfold.

"Kim!" Ron snapped again and moved towards her. "Kim, get Shego to open that door, we've got to go!" He grabbed her arm, but it was Shego Kim looked at.

The choice should've been so simple. She could just leave the villainess now and give the information to Global Justice so that they could finish the job together. Or she and Ron could go after her mother themselves. She could walk away and not look back, it should be that easy.

But of course, it wasn't.

Kim knew with a sinking clarity as she looked into Shego's eyes that she was sold. She had committed herself to this path the moment she stood up and took Big Daddy's offer, maybe even before that. The tube in her hands felt as if it weighted a ton as she carefully pushed Ron away and stumbled towards Shego.

"They are not going to let me leave," she breathed hoarsely, overwhelmed and dizzy by the enormity of her chosen path. "What are we going to do? Can we take on all of them?"

For a moment Shego glared at her, her green eyes guarded as she strained against another blow on the door. "Are you sure you want to?" she said. "It will be easier just to let them take us."

Kim shook her head and slipped the tube into Shego's leather jacket before she leaned against the door to help her. "This is the only way," she said. "What do we…?"

Realizing what was happening; Ron ran towards her and tried to pull her away from the door.

"Kim!" he exclaimed, interrupting her. "What are you doing?"

Kim glanced at Shego dazedly; briefly wishing that she would deal with her best friend but the woman merely looked over him and shrugged at Kim. The teen hero swallowed and motioned to Ron to back up.

"I'm-I'm going with Shego," she said tensely, an electric shock travelling through her body as her words cemented her choice. "We have to get out of here before Global Justice catches us."

Ron looked at her, taken aback. "Us?" he queried. "_Her_ Kim, they're here to bring you home and probably catch her in the process."

Kim shook her head, unable to ignore the sudden ache in her heart. "No Ron," she said. "I can't go with Global Justice. I have to go with Shego; she can help me get my mother." She could tell immediately that Ron didn't understand, though she couldn't blame him because she didn't understand her actions either.

"So can Global Justice," Ron said quietly though he took a step away from her. "We don't have to go with her."

It took a lot of self control not to start crying at the quiet earnest and truth in Ron's voice. "No Ron," Kim said again, unable to look at her best friend. "I have to go with Shego, you have to stay here. I told you that you can't come with me this time. Please Ron." She hoped that he would just let it be but her best friend wasn't that easy to discourage. He moved quickly but instead of grabbing Kim, he grabbed Shego and pulled her forward. Caught of guard, Shego stumbled forward but quickly recovered. Her eyes flashed green in anger and, before Kim could stop her, she ignited her hands and blasted him across the room. When Kim tried to protest, she sniffed and turned to the door.

"Problem solved," she snapped. "Now, we have to go."

Kim would've rushed to Ron's side but another hard bash against the door audibly loosened the lock. "You didn't have to blast him!" she exclaimed. "He's hurt! I could've told him to back off."

Shego chuckled bitterly and focused her attention on the door, her hands still blazing with their green flames. "We don't have time for you to negotiate," she snapped. "And he'll survive but we won't if we don't think of a way to get out of here now!"

Kim looked at Ron's still figure one more time before she closed her eyes and leaned against the door. "What choices do we have?" she snapped. "Can we fight our way out?"

There was a strange light in Shego's eyes as she dropped her shoulders like a cat ready to pounce. "Will you let me try?" she asked in a dangerous voice.

Kim swallowed, recollecting all the times she's been on the wrong side of Shego's power. "Tell me what I have to do," she said quietly and shifted her weight so that she could move quickly.

Shego took a steady breath and raised her hands chest level. "Cover my back," she said in a deadly calm voice. "And don't get in front of me."

&&&

"This is our fault you know." She hadn't realized that she had spoken out loud until she saw Agent Will Du give her a strange look. He sniffed sharply and shifted his weight without loosing his alert pose.

"Kim Possible got herself into this situation," he said. "We are just trying to retrieve her and capture a dangerous criminal."

Betty gave him a sideways look but didn't say anything. Will Du's life was uncomplicated, governed by a very strong line of right and wrong and the rules that kept the two separate. He was well on his way to becoming the best young agent on Global Justice's payroll because he was unflappable, unchangeable and believed irreversibly in what GJ stood for.

Nothing and nobody could convince him otherwise for the pure reason that he trusted his superiors to make the right decisions. If people got hurt or toes got stepped on, he accepted it because it was for 'the greater good.' He believed in the good of the system, not himself and that was what separated him from Kimberlee Ann Possible.

She believed in herself, believed in the good that she did and the good that other people could do. It had therefore been very hard for her to realize that sometimes, for 'the greater good,' sacrifices of conscience had to be made. Betty had always hoped that she would be able to sit down and explain her world to Kim one day, so that the teenager could understand the responsibility that she carried before she was confronted by it but the events of the past few weeks had robbed her of that chance. As she had feared, Kim had been exposed to the darker side of her world before she had been prepared for it and it had had a significant effect on the teenager.

Agents like Will Du blamed Kim for wasting their valuable time this way and for turning to Shego for help. If it was up to him, he would've prosecuted Kim right there for aiding a known felon but Betty and her superiors who made these sorts of decisions knew better.

They had shown Kim that she could turn to the dark for help; they could hardly blame her now for doing it herself.

'_This is my fault.'_

Her thoughts were interrupted by the telltale sound of the door's lock giving in a little. Dr. Director straightened up and glanced down the hallway, not surprised that none of the hotel's other patrons was sparing them as much as a glance. The place had a _reputation_ and the communal feeling was that if you did something to give Global Justice enough reason to come and take you, then you probably deserved it.

"Again!" Dr. Director snapped as her agents took a quick breather, looking at the door in disgust. "It's almost there." She looked at her second team. "I want you guys ready to storm in the moment the door is down, we must not give them time to act."

Her scientists had learned a lot of Shego in the past weeks as the information that Teryl Adamson had gathered on her leaked out their way. They had learned that Shego's ability to channel her power didn't surpass her ability to "manufacture" it yet she needed time to build up force. It was one of the reasons she probably never just blasted Kim out of her way when they fought at close contact. She didn't have the time to build up enough energy. If they played this right and stormed the two after they've managed to break the door down then Shego might not have enough time.

Her brow furrowed briefly as the door gave way some more. _It was a risky plan but…_

The door exploded, but not inwards.

Dr. Director barely had a chance to cry out before Agent Will Du bore her to the ground, covering her body as pieces of wood and plaster flew around them. He stood up faster than she had time to recover herself and turned around to face the oncoming threat. His quick movement was rewarded by a green blast of power that he couldn't avoid. Dazed, Dr. Director watched Will as he was thrown back against the wall, yet even before he crumbled to the ground she started moving. She had a brief, wild thought that her office job had blunted her instincts and that she should've been up by now but when another agent was thrown over her she realized that she was an easier target standing upright than lying down. Dr. Director tucked her arms in underneath her and rolled away from the wall while trying to see what was happening. She briefly caught a glance of Shego round house kicking one of her agents while…

_No…_

It wasn't Shego kicking her agent but Kim dressed in a tight fitting pair of leather pants, her usually loose hair pulled away and out of her face. Shego was right in front of her, her eyes unfocused as she swung her flaming arms up in an arch much like a dancer. Dr. Director's heart skipped a beat as she quickly pushed herself up and started to run towards the fighting teenager.

"Kim!" she yelled. "Stop this! Stop it right now!"

Kim hesitated for a second to look at her but Shego moved again, this time with lightening speed – the green on her arms reaching a white intensity as she clasped them together over her head. "Get behind me!" She yelled and to Dr. Director's ire Kim obeyed her without the hesitation that she showed when _she_ called her. The teenager pushed herself against Shego's back and closed her eyes as the villainess brought her arms down and threw all her energy at the floor. The liquid like fire fanned out in a random, splash pattern, taking out half of her agents that had been left standing after their initial assault. Dr. Director barely managed to dodge the blast coming her way as she threw herself against the wall. She felt the concussive force touch her back and it took all she had to keep her legs from crumbling underneath her.

Steadying herself against the wall she turned to look at the two young women. Shego, chuckling to herself, had briefly turned around to see if Kim was still alright. She touched the hero's shoulder before she glanced sideways and kicked one of her agents on the chin as he stormed her. Kim opened her eyes and, like a dance partner accepting an invitation, put her hand on Shego's other shoulder and used the villain's height to propel her forward to kick another agent that was upon them. Dr. Director didn't see who grabbed whose hand first as they started running towards the main anteroom.

Not yet trusting her legs, Dr. Director tried to move forward, steadying herself against the wall.

"Kim! Wait!" She yelled after them, her tone as desperate as she felt. "Kimberlee!"

Again, the hero hesitated at the sound of her voice and briefly stopped, only to be pulled forward by Shego. Not caring if she looked like a drunkard on a good night Dr. Director willed her tingling legs into motion and ran, stumbling after them.

"Kimberlee stop!" She yelled again, as the strength started returning to her legs. "This is not the way! She can't help you!"

There was a pained look in Kim's eyes as she glanced back again but she didn't let go of her grip in Shego's hand. Because she wasn't looking where she was going though, she stumbled suddenly, unaware that Shego had started on the stairs. She crashed into the villainess and bore them both to the ground, giving Dr. Director a chance to catch up with them.

Shego growled a curse as she quickly pulled them up and pushed Kim ahead of her. "Up the stairs!" She snapped as she turned around to face the director. "Watch out for agents! My man's meeting us outside." Her hands ignited and Dr. Director quickly halted in her steps and prepared herself for another fight as Shego's gaze fell on her.

"Back up Betty," the villainess growled, her green flames licking at her skin and clothes without burning her. "The kid's made her choice."

Betty found herself snarling at the woman as she carefully started to move towards her. Kim had stopped at the top of the stairs and was watching them, her green eyes wide. "Her choice is unacceptable," Dr. Director barked. "She can't go with you."

Shego snorted and giving her only a second's warning with a brief shift in her gaze, lunged at her.

"She is not one of your agents," she said as Dr. Director managed to successfully dodge her attack. "You don't own her."

Dr. Director responded with her own assault and for a brief moment the two women flowed out of each other's reach as they tried to deal a crippling blow.

"Neither is she one of you," the director grunted as Shego managed to grab her from behind and tried to knock her off her feet. "I won't let your touch corrupt her." She managed to give Shego a proper shove in the stomach, sending the woman stumbling backwards. Despite gasping for air though, the villainess chuckled and lunged at her again. "My touch?!" She laughed right out. "I can't corrupt that which as already been tainted. Your prints are all over this one _Betty._" On the last she managed to get a very good blow in on the director's knee, sending the woman off balance. Dr. Director instinctively held up her hands to break her fall, only to have them swept out from under her. She crashed against the foot of the stairs hard, cutting her lip. Shego wasted no time to kick her in the stomach, turning her around to look at her in the process. Dr. Director, gasping for breath, tried to grab her ankle to flip her over but was stopped when Shego stepped on her wrist hard, grinding her heel into her palm. The villainess glanced around her and saw the recovered agents running towards them. She growled under her breath and glanced at the teen that was still looking at them. She slipped her hand into her jacket's pocket and bent down, her foot still painfully hard on Dr. Director's wrist.

"You drove her to me," she hissed at the woman so that the teenager couldn't hear. "You forced her on this path, not me. I'm giving her the answers that she needs, not those that you think she should hear."

Before Betty could respond Shego shifted her foot and, before she could do anything about it, moved to kick her in the head. The blow drove all sense from her, the white, explosive pain encompassing her whole being. One thing was left though and, as she slipped into unconsciousness, flashes of Shego's legs disappearing from her vision – she could not deny the burning, poison like pain that settled in her chest.

Guilt.

&&&

From behind his screen, Big Daddy Brotherson was laughing so hard that his little chubby legs had collapsed underneath him. He had laughed so much that he had missed half of the fight with Global Justice but it didn't bother him for he had access to the recordings. Some things were worth keeping and this… This was the best game he had ever played.

"Oh, this is wonderful," he said to his bodyguard as the man tried to haul him to his feet. "How delightful, how absolutely delightful…" The bodyguard gave a half hearted pull on his arms but gave up when he realized that his boss was not going to help him. He stood back and quietly waited for Big Daddy to finish laughing.

The round man rubbed his eyes were they had started watering from delight as he watched Shego and Kim Possible get into her jet on the small security screen of his. Shego had paid one of the parking attendants to keep it ready for them in case trouble showed. The bright young lad had brought her plane around the moment Global Justice appeared.

Chuckling, Big Daddy tried to roll his legs underneath him so that he could attempt to get up. His bodyguard saw this and stood closer again, giving him a helping shove before he slipped his arms underneath his shoulders again.

"It's poetic don't you think?" Big Daddy grunted as they managed to heave him to his feet. "The pair of them. The hero who has given up her morals to save her mother, and the villainess who is helping her because of her morals." He rubbed the sweat from his brow and leaned against the wall as he flipped the channel on his monitor and watched as the Global Justice agents swarmed around their fallen leader.

"Kim Possible will pay her price," he chuckled softly as he watched two of the agents help a clearly disorientated Elizabeth Director to her feet. "But Shego… Shego, do you comprehend how much this will cost you?" He started laughing again, thinking about the two young women.

"I love this game."

&&&

"This wasn't a game!" Shego snapped as they walked into the musty smelling cottage. "Damn you girl, what did Big Daddy ask of you?"

Kim watched Shego as she threw her duffle bag on the table and rounded on her again. An hour had passed since they managed to evade Global Justice at the Bermuda Triangle. When they were sure that they weren't being tracked or followed, Shego took them to a nearby hideout that she and Drakken used occasionally. They had sat in their customary silence through most of the trip until Kim carefully reached over and took the tube that contained her bought information from Shego's jacket. She didn't open it but sat with it in her lap, clutching it as she watched the landscape fly past.

"What had that cost you?" Shego had asked her, her tone dry and bitter. Kim couldn't understand why Shego's tone had been so reproachful. Angry, overwhelmed by the enormity of what she had just done and confused as to why she had done it, Kim had glared at the villainess but didn't answer her. Shego, not use to being ignored, took that quite poorly.

"Do you understand what you just did?" She had snapped as she set the jet down on a grassy expanse. "You just gave that man one opening into your life and he's so fucking big he'll get stuck in it! It won't stop at one thing Kimmie. You should've let me handle it!"

Kim hadn't looked at her when she unbuckled herself and got up before Shego could, exiting the jet in too practiced a gesture. _'How many times have I done this in the past twenty four hours?'_ She had found herself thinking. _'How long have I been here, trapped in this dream?' _

"It was clear that he wouldn't let you handle it," she had said to the empty space in front of her. "So I stepped in when I saw the gap."

Shego had fumed in silence for several minutes as she locked up the jet and stormed through the undergrowth to the cottage. "Gap?" She had snapped as she fumbled for the keys in her bag. "It was a hole he created!"

Kim had known this, which made her even angrier. "And I willingly stepped into it Shego! This is my game!"

Those words had been the last that she said and they had not helped her convince the villainess to just let the subject drop.

"This wasn't a game," Shego repeated, her hands in her hips. "You played right into his hands Kim Possible. Straight into it! I told you to be careful! I told you to let me handle it!"

Kim sniffed and hugged her arms to her chest as she glared at the woman, conscious of the carton tube in her hands. "I did what I had to do!" She snapped. "And, seeing as how it got us this I don't know why you are so pissed off at me. This has nothing to do with you!"

Shego gaped at her and balled her fists. "Did what you had to do?" She repeated aghast. "That is hero talk Pumpkin and out here, you are not the hero!"

Kim sniffed as she felt her anger increase ten fold as she took a threatening step towards the older woman. "I am still a hero!" she snapped. "I do what I do for others, not for myself! I am not here for power or profit or because I can't stand being indebted to someone. I don't kick a woman when she's down!" The image of Dr. Director lying unconscious on the stairs of the Bermuda Triangle flashed through her mind.

"Then you are a hero and a fool!" Shego snapped at her, a dangerous light in her eyes. "What did you think you're going to do here Princess? Waltz around and play my game but follow your rules as to show me up? Show me the error in my fucking ways by outshining me with your virtue? You ceased being the hero the moment you called me! You cannot survive on your bloody innocence here Pumpkin, this is the real world! Do you think that you can go back to it now that you've sold a part of yourself to Big Daddy?"

Kim sniffed and glared at her. "Why are you so concerned about that?!" She snapped. "It's my business! It's got nothing to do with you!"

Shego returned her glare with an intensity that surprised Kim. "If it was none of my business then why the hell did you come to me for help in the first place?!" She snapped. "I told you that if you wanted to come with me then you should obey me without question, follow my lead, let me do what I have to do and don't interfere! Yet, the first chance that you get, you do just that!"

Kim threw her hands up in the air and shook her head. "He didn't want to bargain with you Shego!" She yelled. "He wanted to talk to me. He wanted something from me, not you and he wouldn't have bent. You know this!"

Shego glared at her for several seconds before she shook her head and pulled herself up to her full height. "Well, if you can do all of that then you don't need me," she snapped. "I don't know why I agreed to help you! Get yourself killed, see if I care!"

She started to storm out of the room but Kim reacted very quickly and blocked her exit. The villainess glared at her and tried to push her aside. "Get out of my way Princess," she snapped. "I'm done here."

Kim grabbed the hand that Shego had put against her and gripped it tightly. "Don't you dare leave," she breathed. "Don't you dare!"

Shego reacted without thought and tried to throw Kim over her shoulder. In a reaction that was so ingrained in both of them, Kim counteracted her move and kicked her in defence. Shego fell but quickly moved to sweep Kim off her feet. The teen jumped up, avoiding the look and landed on the table. Instinctively she dove down into Shego, bearing her to the ground just as she had managed to get up and rolling her across the floor. They struggled and grunted, shoving each other until one managed to gain the upper hand. Kim found herself sitting across Shego's hips, her arms pinning the villainess' to the floor. They were both breathing heavily, Shego's eyes blazing with the fury that Kim felt echoing inside her. She was so angry that she didn't know what to say but stared at the woman, her hands white where she was gripping her wrists. Shego struggled briefly as she tried to pull her hands out of Kim's grip.

Kim leaned forward to put more weight on her own hands and quite suddenly found herself inches away from Shego's face. She felt the woman's breath against her face, smelled the mixture of the woman's perfume and perspiration. Her mouth went dry suddenly as her anger faded, replaced by another emotion that threatened to burn her apart lest she did something about it. Slowly, almost painfully Kim leaned forward, her lips touching Shego's in what wasn't a kiss yet. The older woman's eyes widened and for a few seconds she lay still, her green eyes wide. Then slowly, carefully she raised her head slightly, meeting Kim halfway…

&&&

_To Be Continued…_

_AN: And, another one! My apologies for the time that it took to get this out. Had a hold up.  
So, I've been threatening for a while but this is the last T chapter. M from here onwards (doesn't leave you with much of a cliff hanger does it?).  
Also, as a random thought: I bought a horse! A bit prematurely seeing as how I don't have a proper job yet, but he came across my way and I couldn't say no. His name is Basjan and I think that he might just have saved my life. :) _

_Read you soon and thank you for all the reviews! _

_Alyssa _


	15. The Truth Shall Set You Free

**Chapter 15: Veritas Vos Liberabit. **

She woke up in the unfamiliar embrace of another person. For a few moments she lay very still, her heart beating a quiet tattoo, then – like a memory from a distant life - she realized who it was.

Dr. Ann Possible sighed softly, and shifted into a more comfortable position. Her companion stirred, though she wasn't sure whether he was awake or not until she felt the arm around her chest stiffen. Despite the circumstances she felt herself chuckle softly.

"Good morning Dr. Stewart," she said, unable to hide her mirth.

"Ann," the man breathed and, in a blink of an eye, rolled away from her. "Dr. Possible, I'm _so_ sorry."

Ann chuckled softly and turned on her other side to stare at the anaesthesiologist. "It's alright," she said amused. "These things happen you're used to sleeping next to someone. I wouldn't be surprised if I was the one who rolled to your side of the bed first."

Adrian chuckled softly, but continued to stand up and pull on a shirt. Ann found herself watching him with a quiet ache in her heart. She couldn't remember when last she had woken up in the arms of another man. She missed her husband and started worrying if he was managing to cope without her. James Possible was as complex a person as his three children whose identity had developed around his genius. She loved him with all her heart and knew that she could not have wished for a better partner to raise their three children with. There was a heavy feeling in her chest as she wondered how her boys were doing and Kim…

Kimberlee…

Her heart ached and she quickly pushed all thoughts of her daughter aside.

She had to focus.

"Have you decided what you are going to do yet?" Adrian's voice interrupted her thoughts. He had sat down on the corner of the bed and was watching her intently. Ann sighed and pushed herself into a sitting position.

"I don't know," she admitted. "I don't think that I can stall anymore. After yesterday's drama with Mr. Monsieur…" She shuddered, remembering how angry he had been when she had asked Jeremy about his mother. "He's going to push us to do the surgery today. And, I've run out of reasons not to do it. Except for all the ethical ones of course."

Adrian grimaced then looked up when the door to the room opened. Sandra Johnston looked in and bit her lip. Her hair was still wild from sleep and there were dark circles under her eyes. She flinched when they looked at her but carefully came into the room.

"I heard you talking," she said softly. "May I come in?"

Ann put on her warmest smile and crossed her legs to make space for Sandra in front of her. "Of course," she said kindly and patted the duvet in front of her. "We just woke up."

Sandra nodded and, after taking a steadying breath, sat down on the bed. "Sorry for crashing in the other room," she said – not looking at either of them. "I knew that ideally we should've shared." She made a motion between herself and Ann.

The doctor made a dismissive gesture with her hand and drew up her knees so that she could wrap her arms around them. "I did it last night so don't worry about it," she said. "Did you sleep well?"

Sandra shrugged, not bothering to answer the question. "Are we going to do the surgery today?" she asked instead, her eyes desperate as she looked at the two doctors.

Ann closed her eyes and shook her head. "Sandra, I can't do it," she said frankly. "I told this to you and Adrian from the beginning. It's… It goes against everything that I am, every oath that I took as a doctor. It's barbaric."

Sandra's eyes widened slightly as she leaned over and grabbed Ann's leg through the covers. "But, if you don't do it," she said. "We won't be allowed to leave. Heaven help us, they might kill us if we don't do it - they seem crazy enough."

Ann tried not to show any reaction as Sandra voiced her own personal fears. "I had hoped that we wouldn't have to go this far," Ann said sombrely. "I had hoped that my daughter will be here by now."

Adrian frowned as he gave her a questioning look. "Are you sure she's still coming?" he queried. "I mean… Shouldn't she have been here by now? Why is it taking so long?"

Ann swallowed against an increasing dryness in her mouth. She couldn't loose hope that her daughter was coming for her. "I don't know," she admitted, thinking that there were a lot of things she didn't know. "But, I'm sure that she's on her way – I can feel it. My Kim won't rest until she finds me; I have complete faith in her. She can do anything."

&&&

The kiss, which had started so lightly – like a feather brushing over skin, was growing in intensity.

Kim had let go of Shego's arms to steady herself against the floor whereas the villainess had brought her arms to her side, her one hand hooked in the crook of Kim's knee. The other was starting to play over her body, touching her thigh, her hip, and finally, hesitantly – her breast. Kim gasped as her body responded to Shego's touch, rewarding her with a mounting sensation of heat and pleasure. At her gasp, Shego hesitated, her hand just resting against her bare skin where she had slipped her fingers under Kim's shirt. Kim closed her eyes and stayed very still, breathing in Shego's smell, feeling her warm breath against her chin. When Shego wanted to pull back, she moaned at the loss of sensation and leaned in again, kissing her in a way she had never kissed anybody before. Shego made a noise in the back of her throat and continued her exploration of Kim's body, her hesitant fingers finding the round of the teenager's breast and gently stroking it.

Kim moaned, shivering at the unknown sensation that shot all the way to her groin, and kissed Shego harder as she moved her weight to her one arm so that she could touch the villainess with the other.

'_Oh God,'_ Kim thought in a wild, panicked moment. _'I'm doing it, I'm making out with Shego…'_ Her hand found the woman's neck, tracing a line down from her cheek to her chest. Feeling inexperienced and overwhelmed, she carefully dared to slip her hand to Shego's breast, squeezing it and then lightly brushing over it – wondering what the woman was feeling. She met Shego's approval when the woman moaned and arched her back, moving her hip against Kim's. Her touched gained an intensity that dragged Kim away from herself, and instilled in her a need to be touched _more._ She wanted more…

And then, suddenly, her world exploded in a flash of green and she was thrown across the floor, crashing into a small coffee table and knocking off the lamp that was on it.

For a stunned moment Kim lay on the floor, clutching her chest where Shego's blast had hit her. Across from her Shego was scrambling to her knees, breathing heavily – her face wild with shock. When Kim found her voice, she realized that she had once again found her anger as well.

"Shit Shego!" she exclaimed. "What the hell?!"

The villainess looked at her, her jade eyes wide as she shook her head. "I told you to stop!" she snapped. "I wanted you to get off of me."

Kim pushed herself up, still clutching her chest, and sat cross legged. "Stop?" she exclaimed. "You said no such thing! You just bloody blasted me when…" '_What had we been doing? What were we about to do?'_

Shego shook her head, her black hair falling in front of her face like a veil. "I said stop!" She snapped a little bit too defensively. "I swear I did."

Kim sniffed angrily and pushed herself up into a standing pose only to find that her legs were very unsteady.

"When?!" she snapped. "While you were shoving your tongue down my throat or while you were fucking fondling my breast?!"

Shego bristled but didn't get up. "I wasn't the only one doing the touching!" she countered. "I told you to stop!"

Kim unsteadily made her way to a couch and sat down, watching the villainess wearily. "You didn't," she said honestly, feeling defeated and tired. "Shego… You didn't."

Her frank honesty seemed like a slap in the villainess's face as she dropped her head in acknowledgement. "I should've," she muttered. "God save me, I should've."

Feeling empty, angry and very confused, Kim massaged her chest while watching Shego. "Why?" she asked. "Shego… Why are we doing this?" She suddenly felt like crying and knew bitterly that she didn't have the strength to hide it from Shego. Her body felt as if it was in a mess, her thighs and sex throbbing with a need she had never experienced before. '_What were we doing? Why was I allowing it? Why did I start it?'_

Shego didn't appear to be in a better state as she finally pushed herself up and moved to the wall furthest away from the hero. She sniffed and closed her eyes, wrapping her arms around her chest in a defensive posture.

"You're confused," she said softly. "Kim, I think that you are emotional and… and…"

Kim sniffed and glared at her. "Confused?" she snapped. "Emotional? When last did you look in the mirror Shego? I didn't start this nor did I stop it. You opened this in me, this-this fucking need to understand who I am. It's like opening a door and refusing me to walk through it. Every time I try, you push me back and this time you pushed me across the fucking room!"

Shego's face was expressionless as she looked up to meet her gaze but there was a flicker of regret in her eyes as she shook her head. "I'm sorry," she said quietly, starting to gather herself. "This shouldn't have happened, we have work to do."

'_I can't believe this,'_ Kim thought, '_one moment we're arguing and she's ready to leave, then we're on the floor making out and now she calls my attention back to my mother…'_ Her face coloured suddenly when she realized that she had not thought of her mother once in the past few minutes, her whole being enslaved by Shego's touch. A nagging of guilt drifted across her conscious as she dropped her head and sighed.

"We do," she said and coughed to clear her throat from its dry feeling. "I'll get… the tube…" She turned around and went back to the door to try and see where she had dropped it as she and Shego started fighting. Her back throbbed where she had hit the small table but it was nothing compared to the empty hurt that she felt inside her.

'_I want her,'_ she thought numbly as she found the tube by the door. '_I have never wanted anybody as much as I want her, hell – I've never wanted anybody. I never thought about love or sex or attraction. I've never wanted to be touched the way she touches me yet now, I don't want anything else.'_ She glanced back to see that Shego had collected herself and pushed away from the wall, walking over to her with her usual grace.

'_Sexual grace_,' Kim thought bitterly as she shook the contents of the tube out onto her hand. '_She walks with sexual grace; she looks at you with sexual interest. It's always been there, you've just never noticed it. It's almost as if there's always been a touch of foreplay to our fighting, we just never saw it.'_ Shego was just as taken aback by this as she was, Kim realized as well. She just tried not to show it.

She looked at the paper in her hand and cursed softly.

Shego, who had not approached her completely but rather stayed by the kitchen counter, raised an eyebrow and tried to see what was in Kim's hands. Her eyes were like green fire when they met with the hero's.

"What did you have to pay for that?" she asked again, still unwilling to drop the subject that had started their little ruckus.

Kim sniffed, angry and on the verge of tears as she threw the magazine in front of Shego. "I told you it's none of your business," she snapped. "And anyway, I'm not going to pay his stupid price because he gave me a bloody empty promise. That's not the information I wanted, that's a magazine, one I could pick up from any café or stall in the country." She sniffed. "If I looked under the villains' section of course."

Shego raised an eyebrow and pulled the Villain's Weekly closer as Kim sat down on the opposite end of the table and rested her head in her hands. She opened the title page and scanned its content.

"Don't shoot Brotherson down so quickly Kimmie," she said, sounding tired, and flipped to a page. "He likes games, but he isn't one for empty promises." She scanned the article. "Here, read this." She pushed the magazine back to Kim.

Kim frowned at her and then looked at the article.

BUNGLING BILLIONAIRE BOY BOGGLES BEST, the headline read above the summary: _William du Pont takes his son out of public eye. _

Kim frowned as she quickly scanned the article, the hairs on the back of her neck rising. She glanced at Shego who was watching her intently.

"It says here," she started – her voice sounding dry. "That Mr. du Pont seemed displeased with his son's attitude in public after his wife's death. When the boy attended a function of one of his mother's charity events, two weeks before this article, the old man lost it and removed his son in a less than publically accepted manner. This is tragic Shego but… I'm not sure whether this pertains to us."

Shego nodded slowly and pulled the duffle bag, that she had thrown on the table earlier, closer. She pulled out her laptop and turned it on, glancing at Kim as she did so.

"We're looking for a father and son team," she pointed out. "And, despite the innocence of that article, this Mr. du Pont won't appear in Villain's Weekly if he didn't have some ties to our little world."

Kim glanced at the article and shook her head. "But, I've never heard of him, this article makes it sound as if he's a grieving widower, not a kidnapping villain."

Shego made a sound in the back of her throat that was too close to the one she had made when they were kissing to Kim's liking. "I told you Kim, we're not all open criminals. A lot of people play the money behind the criminals." She chuckled bitterly. "Look at Global Justice…" She typed in a few words on her keyboard, oblivious to Kim's winch. "I remember reading about Mr. du Pont, though I haven't had the pleasure of meeting him personally. If I have it right, he's a friend of Big Daddy Brotherson, or an acquaintance – which is probably why or rather how Big Daddy knows about him. Here…"

She turned the computer towards Kim so that she could read an article.

_Rumour has it,_ the blog began, _that a certain billionaire who shall not be named, (cough – Wiliam du Pont, cough) has recently started experimenting with ways to alter his sons personality. His so called retreat from the public eye for re-education had a much more sinister ring to it than people anticipated. Mr. du Pont, who in my opinion has not made peace with his wife's tragic death a few months ago, has stated a wish to have his son inherit his multi billion dollar empire though the investors have expressed their displeasure. _

Kim shivered and gave Shego a sceptical look. "Are you sure it's him?" she queried to which the older woman nodded

"Big Daddy wouldn't have given us the article otherwise," she said and pulled her computer closer. "It's the only one worth reading in the whole magazine."

Kim swallowed, the name William du Pont settling in her mind. "So… Do we know where he is?" She had the brief urge to contact Wade and send the information through to him but an instinctive reach for her pocket not only reminded her that she wasn't wearing her usual clothes but also that she didn't have her Kimmunicator with her.

Shego shook her head but didn't seem discouraged. "No," she admitted. "But, I know people who can find out." She reached down and drew out her cell phone from a pocket Kim didn't know existed in her tight fitting clothes. Shego surfed through its contents before dialling a number. When Kim gave her a questioning look, she grimaced and made a vague motion with her hand.

"Señor Senior Sr. might know him," she said. "He might be willing to give me some information. I do enough work for him and his son, and I think that he likes you."

Kim sat up and felt a pang of guilt as she thought of how she had accused him of kidnapping her mother as well as taking Shego's number without his consent. In a strange way, she respected him a little bit more than most of the other villains because he always showed her respect and for that matter, he showed respect to Ron for remembering his name.

Another, sharper pang of guilt drifted through her as she wondered whether her sidekick was alright. Shego meanwhile put the phone between them and set the caller on loudspeaker as it stopped ringing when Señor Senior answered with his heavily accented voice.

"Good day, Shego," the gentleman said, clearly pleased to have her call. "What a pleasant surprise. How are you?"

Shego glanced at Kim before she looked at the phone. "I am well Señor," she said – her tone hinting at being respectful. "I hope that I'm not bothering you."

The old man chuckled on the other side of the line. "Not at all," he intoned. "I have just been up reading some very interesting news that came my way. Tell me, are the rumours true? Were you and Kimberlee Ann Possible at the Bermuda Triangle earlier today?"

Shego grimaced but her tone didn't show her displeasure. "We had lunch," she said. "And a brief conversation with Big Daddy Brotherson. Tell me, does the name William du Pont sound familiar to you?"

There was a pause on the other side of the line. "He's an acquaintance," Señor Senior Sr. said eventually, his tone a bit reluctant. "But, by no means a friend. What's your business with him?"

Shego hesitated then shrugged. "I'd like to drop in on him," she said. "Pay him and his son a visit."

Señor Senior Sr. made a considering sound. "And you think that he's the one who kidnapped Kim's mother?"

Shego made a vague motion with her hand. "Big Daddy Brotherson seems to think so," she said. "What can you tell me of him?"

The old man snorted. "He is a hard man to bargain with," he said. "We were business rivals a few years back. I opened the floor for him when I turned my attention to global conquest instead of corporate takeovers. But, Shego – I can't understand why he would take Kim's mother, he isn't like us."

Shego glanced at the blog article that was still open on her laptop. "I think he's got other goals than we do," she said. "Do you have an address for him? Or contact number?"

Kim's heart sank when she almost felt Señor Senior shake his head. "I'm sorry Shego," he said sincerely, "I do not. But, I can find out for you if you and Kim Possible don't have the resources to. I won't mind offering my help."

Shego glanced at Kim and shook her head. "It's alright," she said. "Thank you for offering though, I'm sure it's appreciated."

The old man chuckled. "Scared that you two will end up owing other people more favours than you already do?" he queried. "I understand your point. But, know that you can ask me for help anytime you want. Pro bono."

Shego smiled, but still shook her head. Kim on the other hand felt as if she was going to be sick. _'Did he hint that he knows that I made a bargain with Big Daddy Brotherson?'_ she wondered. '_How does he know about it? Big Daddy assured me it's between us…'_ She shuddered and hugged herself as Shego hung up after saying good bye to the super villain. When she met Kim's gaze she smiled slightly. The teen didn't feel like returning it, holding herself tighter.

"What do we do now?" she queried. "I mean, how will we know where to find him? Usually Wade runs these kinds of searches for me."

Shego shrugged and sat back, stretching like a cat before she pulled her computer closer again. "Easy," she said. "We submit his name to the most powerful search engine known to man. Something's bound to come up."

Kim didn't feel convinced as she leaned closer. "What is it?" she queried.

Shego smiled at her and started typing.

"Google," she said simply.

&&&

By the time that she had brushed her hair, washed her face and had a cup of coffee, Dr. Ann Possible had hatched a plan. It wasn't ideal, it wasn't perfect, but it was possible.

She was going to fake it.

She knew enough of the brain to know how much she could do to cause Jeremy only the mildest of discomfort, yet leave him essentially intact. By faking the operation, by actually cutting on the boy without doing any damage, she could not only stall for more time, but ease the minds of her fellow captives.

'_It might just work,'_ Ann thought as she dried off her face and stared at herself in the mirror, confident that she was able to meet her own gaze easily. _'It will take a day or two for the results to be known… I'll keep Jeremy under heavy sedation for as long as I can. That should give time for Kim to catch up with us. Or Global Justice. Or, anybody…'_

She looked down to her hands only to realize that they were shaking. She cursed herself and took a steadying breath, forcing herself to remain calm despite the fledging panic that stirred in her heart. _'She could do this easily, there was nothing to it.' _

She jumped at the sound of the door and turned around to find Sandra looking at her, her face tense with her ever present fear.

"That woman's here," she said referring to Dr. Hewitt. "She asks if you would like some breakfast before we start."

Ann nodded numbly and glanced at herself again. She wasn't hungry but it was worth forcing something down to gain more time. Sandra inclined her head slightly and started closing the door again. Before she did, Ann turned around and called her back.

"Sandra," she said quickly, "Wait a moment. I want to ask you a question."

The nurse paused, blinking in surprise, her right hand unconsciously grasping her left elbow. Ann swallowed and bit her lip before she leaned against the wash basin to fix the woman with a calm expression.

"Do you think that I should do this surgery?" she queried.

Sandra's jaw clenched and unclenched before she sighed and nodded slowly. "Yes," she said without looking at Ann. "I'm sorry to be so blunt about it, but yes. If you do it, we can go home."

Feeling strangely sad, Ann nodded and played with her wedding ring. "And what if they don't let us go," she said. "What if we go through with this, only to find out that they weren't planning on letting us go from the start?"

The question obviously unsettled the nurse because she shifted her weight and dropped her gaze to the floor.

"They said that they would," she said stubbornly. "I have to believe that Dr. Possible. Do the surgery; give them a chance to let us go."

For the briefest second Ann felt a spark of anger towards the younger woman, wondering how she could be so naïve. She didn't reply to Sandra's statement but turned around again and opened the tap. Seeing that the conversation was done, Sandra sighed softly and closed the door as she left, leaving Ann to listen to the sound of the running water.

'_I'm going to fake it,'_ she thought. _'But I'm not going to tell them. They might not understand…' _She took another steadying breath and looked down at her hands to find that they had stopped shaking. Smiling with bitter relief, she turned around and left the bathroom.

&&&

'_How can she be so calm after what we just did_?' Kim thought quietly as she watched Shego typing away at her computer. '_It's not like a switch that you can just put off… is it?' _

She swallowed and looked at her hands, not sure whether she should laugh of cry. Although she hated to admit it, she began to realize that she's never been attracted to guys. As she had told Shego in the hospital, she had had a crush on the idea of having a crush on Josh Mankey and the day she realized that, the blond haired boy lost all interest to her. When she was younger she had never talked about boys as most girls do, firstly because her best friend had been one and secondly because they had just never seemed important. She had only realized that she should start thinking about these things when she joined the cheerleading squad. Her first few weeks of listening to Bonnie and the other girls had been a mental mind scramble to try and figure out which actor she liked, why she liked them and how she should go about expressing that. She had always blamed her friendship with Ron for making her unable to communicate with the girls but now that she thought about it she was worried that it had a more deep rooted reason.

She was attracted to women, and she was most certainly attracted to Shego.

'_Maybe it's just Shego,'_ she thought as she stood up and moved to stand behind the villainess. '_Maybe I'm not a lesbian, I'm just… I just like Shego. It's the thrill of the unknown. I'm adventurous, I want to try everything and maybe this is just one of those things. It won't happen with another woman… I think…" _

She had to talk to Shego, this couldn't go on.

Kim looked at the diagrams and maps on Shego's screen and watched her type in a series of commands. When she was finished, she sat back and stretched again before glancing back to give Kim a brief smile.

"I've found out that William du Pont owns an island near Greece," she explained. "Recently, he's had quite a few things shipped there. I'll bet that's where he's keeping your mother. I'm using a program Drakken developed to scan its security systems and give us a layout of what the island has. It's a very good program, as you should know." She gave the teen a wicked smile.

Kim shifted and sighed softly. "I just normally ask Wade to do it," she admitted. "I never really considered how he gets all my information." She grimaced, thinking about his easy access to her supposedly private diary. "Half of the times, I don't think I want to know."

Shego made a considering sound and stood up, brushing against Kim's arm. "He's an ingenious little twit," she said. "I'll make us some coffee. You have to be careful in Drakken's kitchen; he has a habit of stashing things where he shouldn't."

Kim watched Shego move to the open plan kitchen and took a few steps closer to her. "Do we have anything pressing that we need to do now?" she queried. "Or, is it a question of just waiting it out?"

Shego shrugged as she took two cups from the cupboard. "Wait," she confirmed. "We can get dressed, get our gear ready. The sooner we leave here, the sooner we can get your mother."

Kim nodded slowly and bit her lip. "Yes," she said slowly. "About that, Shego… We need to talk."

Shego's hands hesitated for a moment before she carried on mixing in some instant coffee in Kim's cup. "About what?" she asked suspiciously even though Kim was sure she knew what she meant. She took a steadying breath and moved so that she was within touching distance.

"Us," she pointed out. "Shego, this can't go on. I can't… I have to know."

Shego gave her a weary glance, before her face tightened into its habitual indifference.

"I don't really see what there is to know Cupcake," she said offhandedly. "I'm helping you get your mother and in turn you've probably just discovered that you're a lesbian. Welcome to the club, now we have work to do."

Kim slammed her fist down on the table, startling the villainess. "It's not that simple!" she snapped. "God damn it Shego, listen to me – don't be such a fucking coward!"

The words hit the spot that she wanted them to because Shego sniffed sharply and pulled herself up to her full height to glare down at her. She had both cups of coffee in her hands but made no pass to offer one to Kim. The teen took a deep breath and, realizing that this was her only chance, made sure that she had her words in order.

"You were right," she said quietly, meeting the villainess's gaze steadily. "In the restaurant I mean. I wanted you to kiss me the moment I found out you were gay. I didn't want to admit it to myself, but I'm admitting it now. You are…" She chuckled bitterly. "Something else Shego. You are deadly and mean and sometimes plain evil but there is a side to you that… That I have seen now and I like." She swallowed dryly as Shego carefully put the cups down and turned so that she could lean against the counter. "You have been on my mind ever since you left the hospital. I have thought about you _every day_. I don't… I don't think that I'm gay per say. But, I do think that I've… I'm attracted to you."

Shego's face was blank as she stared at the kitchen counter. She didn't look at Kim but put her two hands beside her as if she was bracing herself against her emotions.

"What do you want me to do about it?" She all but growled, causing Kim to sigh exasperated and briefly throw her hands up in the air.

"Just tell me if you feel the same or if I'm acting like some silly little girl with a crush," she said. "That's all I want to know." She hesitated then added quickly and forcefully. "And, don't lie to me – I can take what ever you throw at me."

The last made Shego's eyebrows rise though she didn't say anything and continued staring at the counter. After a tense moment, she shifted finally and turned to look at Kim. The indifference was gone, instead replaced by an intensity that took Kim's breath away.

"Kimmie," Shego said in a low voice as she walked up to stand in front of her. "You are an incredibly attractive young woman. You are smart, and quick on your feet and you have warmth in you that I…" She sighed, almost wistfully and gently reached out to tuck a strand of red hair behind Kim's ear. "I can only dream of. But you are naïve and I don't think you are ready for the consequences of where this will lead."

Feeling daring, with her heart beating in her chest and her body pulsing with the need to feel Shego's touch again, Kim reached up and took Shego's hand in hers.

"Don't underestimate me," she whispered, aware of the goose bumps that sprang up on the villainess' arm. "I know what I'm doing, and I know what I want."

She leaned forward again-confident this time-confident in her actions and confident that if she pushed Shego far enough, the woman would stop dancing around her and her feelings and confess. Shego's hand stiffened in hers yet, as before, she leaned forward and met Kim halfway. This time, clearly, Kim felt the same desire on Shego's lips that guided her own. She parted her mouth when she felt Shego's tongue touch her and couldn't stop herself from moaning when the woman rested a hand on her hip and guided her so that her body rested against the counter. Where at first Kim had been kissing Shego, she soon felt the balance tip to the other side as Shego's touch became more guiding, her hand trailing an electric, intimate path to her core. Kim let go of Shego's hand so she could wrap her arms around the woman's neck, willing her closer so she could respond to the aching need she felt. Shego took a sharp breath and once again Kim felt her pull away but this time she did not give her any opening to react. Taking her mouth away from Shego's she rested her head on the woman's shoulder and hugged her tightly, breathing in her smell and feeling the ragged pulse of her breathing. Shego hesitated, then wrapped her own hands around the girl and hugged her tightly, breathing deeply as if she too was drinking in the very essence of Kim's presence.

"Don't stop," Kim whispered softly in her ear as she felt Shego's hands start to leave her body. "Please."

She felt Shego swallow and then slowly move her hands to her open back and gently start to caress her.

"Do you want this?" Shego asked in a breathy whisper as her one hand slipped in under Kim's waist band and carefully slid its way to her core, drawing a trail of heat in its wake. "Are you sure that this is what you want?"

Kim pushed her hips against Shego's, a part of her surprised by her own body's reaction, another so enveloped in the warm pulse of her sex that she could not think of anything else but responding to Shego's touch.

"Yes," she breathed as she took her head away from Shego's shoulder and kissed her neck all the way up to her chin and finally to her mouth. "With you, yes. I do."

She was surprised to hear a faint sob escape from Shego's lips like a breath and even more surprised when she felt the warm, salty touch of the woman's tears as they trailed down to her mouth where Kim's lips were waiting.

"Then come with me," Shego whispered softly as her hands enclosed around Kim's body and she pulled her away from the counter. "I don't want to do it here."

&&&

Shego took Kim to the bedroom, never taking her eyes away from the cheerleader's. She could feel her tension, her desire and-slowly but surely, like a current building up-her fear and uncertainty. She did not let go of the young woman's hand, but kept eye contact, hoping that she did not see the fear pulsing inside her own soul.

Shego knew that she was lost and a part of her was desperately trying to figure out when it had happened. She no longer had the self-control to deny Kimberlee Ann Possible the answers and release she craved and found herself unable to push her away because the undeniable truth was that she too needed to find the answers that the teenager so desperately soughed after.

Her attraction to the girl was indisputable though it in itself was nothing new. Through the years they had been opponents, Shego had come to enjoy fighting Kim, always wondering how much it would take to best her or how far they would take their antagonising relationship. She had never considered Kim as a lover until those fateful days in the hospital when she had seen a new, compassionate side to the teen.

Her need to do good was admirable if misplaced and her belief in the good of the world overwhelming. Shego found that, despite herself, she almost wished that she could believe in those things again or see the world through Kim's eyes. To hear that a girl like Kim Possible, the hero who could do anything, was attracted to her almost to a point of being in _love_ with her was a thrill like no other. Despite the recent pain of Teryl's betrayal, Shego once again managed to find hope and confidence in herself as a person, rather than just as a business associate or sidekick.

When Kim kissed her a second time, she felt the last of her resolve crumble and knew with a sinking feeling that their lives would never be the same again.

She sat Kim down on the bed and slowly, without breaking eye contact, knelt down in front of her and ran her hand down the heroine's leg.

"Should we continue?" she queried as she started to slip off her shoes. "Are you sure that this is what you want?" _Please say yes… No. Deny me. Please._

Kim looked at her, her face white but her cheeks flushed. "Yes," she said softly and reached out to cup Shego's face. "You?"

Shego closed her eyes and kissed Kim's wrist by turning her head. "I find you irrefutable," she said, cursing her lack of self-control even as she relished saying those words. "I have wanted you…" She could not say it, could not complete the sentence because it would cement the truth.

Shego undressed Kim slowly, caressing every bit of skin that she exposed, kissing it as she murmured encouraging words. Kim's breathing was ragged and she shivered every time Shego touched her. The teenager too, looking shy and unsure, carefully returned Shego's caresses, loosening the back of her skin tight dress and slipping it off as Shego slipped her out of her own top.

The teenager was beautiful naked, her body trimmed to perfection by her lifestyle. Shego took in the sight of her, feeling her own need to explore the paths of the young woman's body and claim her as her own. Still kissing her, she slipped her hands down the young woman's hips, taking away the last hurdle in her way to her sex. Kim shivered and stiffened, making Shego pause just as she was about to undress her completely.

"Are you alright?" The older woman continued, looking at her would -be lover intently.

Kim's eyes were closed as she chewed her bottom lip. When she opened her eyes, Shego could see the maelstrom of emotions in her gaze.

"Yes," the young woman said and started slipping off Shego's dress completely. "I just… don't know what to do."

Shego warmed to the uncertainty in her voice and reassured her by kissing her gently on the mouth. "I do," she said softly. "Just follow my lead."

Kim leaned against her, instinctively moving her hips to encourage Shego to touch her. "I want you," she said – the wonder clear in her voice. "I just… want you."

Shego's whole body pulsed as she reacted to the teenager's words. Unable to stop herself anymore, she touched the young woman's firm stomach and allowed her hand to find its way down. Kim gasped and jerked when her hand caressed her lips but she spread her legs slightly and shifted so that she could be closer to Shego.

Wishing that the world was different, knowing that she was about to change them both forever, her allowed her fingers to find Kim's pleasure nub and play with it.

Kim took in a sharp breath at the sensation and wrapped her arms around Shego's naked back to pull her closer.

"Shego, please…" she whispered as she pushed herself against her hand. "Shego… Please."

At her words, Shego made a deep sound of pleasure and started working the hero's clit, aware of how wet she was. She took every breath Kim released into her as she kissed her, her body aflame where Kim was touching her again until finally the young woman gasped and bucked under her touch as she found her answers, found her voice and whispered Shego's name like shout of ecstasy.

A shout whispered and cried at her release…

&&&

_To Be Continued…_

_AN: This is my first attempt at M, and I have to admit I had a lot of problems with it. But, thanks to the help of quite a number of people, I managed to finish this and I'd like to name and thank them now. The biggest thanks go to List of Romantics. She proverbially sat with me as I struggled with my problems in the dead of night, provided me with insight and encouragement. I'm internally grateful, thank you my friend. Secondly, of course, my Beta for doing this despite having a bit of a trying time in his own personal life. _

_Thirdly, a fellow NaNoWriMo writer Brabruski, who took my worst line written and shaped it into something passable. I'll look over the fact that I hate him for already having 70,000 words behind his name._

_So, to those of you who are familiar with the term most probably noticed the little acronym from hell, NaNoWriMo. Yes, your friendly author is competing in her own conventional way. I don't have the time to distance myself from my fan fiction (December fast approaching and I want to be done by then) but I thought that I'd do this in my own way. My challenge is to write 50,000 words for the month of November in my two respective fanfics that I'm working on so with any luck, you should have more soon. _


	16. The Foundation of Strength

**Chapter 16: The Foundation of Strength.**

She lay on the bed, thinking about her mother, wondering where she was, if she was alright and darkly worrying if she was still alive.

Kim Possible loved her mother very much. It was a love that stemmed from the woman's care for her, her love and her strong support that she's given her over all these years. The other members of her family always said that her spunk and bravado came from her father's side of the family but, having seen her mother work and also having taken her along on a mission; Kim knew without a doubt that she had inherited her mother's strength. Her father and his family were brilliant, but that did not have the inner strength that her mother showed every day.

Kim hoped with her whole heart that that iron will was keeping her mother safe and keeping her sane.

She sniffed softly and shifted against the body beside her, smelling her sweet smell and feeling her breast push against her back as she breathed. Her mouth went dry as she shivered, unable to stop her heart from leaping at the memory of the last two hours.

'_What would mom think of me now?'_ she thought as she wondered whether she should move. _'What will she do?' _

There were no answers in the quiet room. Kim shifted again, feeling uncomfortable and felt the arm that was draped over her shoulders shift as a hand gently touched her hip and found its way down her thigh.

"Are you alright?" Shego asked from behind her as she planted a light kiss in her neck.

Kim shivered, feeling her body respond to the woman's touch and carefully turned on her back, reluctant to move away from Shego's embrace.

"I'm alright," she said. "Just thinking about my mother…" She hesitated. "Are you… alright?"

Shego made a content sound deep in her throat and pushed herself up so that she could look at Kim. Her dark hair fell forward onto Kim's chest and there was a beautiful, calm expression on her face. Her eyes weren't guarded as she smiled at Kim and gently, almost carefully, touched her face.

"I'm alright," she said with a lot more confidence than Kim had. Her voice was quiet, almost a whisper. Unbidden, Kim felt a river of emotions flow through her, exhilaration, anticipation, guilt and fear. She knew without a doubt that she had just gone down a path that she will never be able to retrace and for a few seconds, she wasn't sure whether she had done the right thing. Yet, it all faded again as she looked into Shego's eyes, seeing the gentle side to her lover that she had never even considered. She found herself smiling and gently reached up to push Shego's hair out of her face.

"Thank you," she said softly to an action she could not name. "Thank you Shego. I'm sorry if I wasn't… I mean…" She blushed, even as Shego started to smile in comprehension. "I didn't know what I was doing."

Shego shook her head dismissively and impulsively leaned forward to give her a light kiss on the lips.

"I couldn't tell," she flattered her, even though Kim knew that it was more to encourage her than the truth. "You are… Something else Pumpkin."

Kim smiled, embarrassed and started to push herself up, her heart beating audibly as Shego moved with her, keeping eye contact. It did not stop her from looking down at the woman's naked body and she wondered if she would ever think about herself the same way again.

'_I am a woman,'_ she thought quietly, _'Who has slept with another woman.'_ She almost laughed at the silliness of the statement. Shego saw the glimmer of humour in her eyes and smiled, her gaze searching Kim's for its source.

"What?" She queried and sat up, pushing her hair out of her face as she did so and looking more beautiful and natural than Kim had ever seen her. Her heart ached quietly, but it wasn't with regret, anger or pain. To her shock, it was with love.

She blushed and shook her head, looking down to her lap as she did so.

"I was just thinking," she said and forced herself to sober up. "And… I hate to say this Shego, but we have to see if… I mean."

The villainess smiled, catching her drift. "Your mother," she said. "I know, I was thinking of the same thing." She flowed off of the bed with her liquid grace and went to the bathroom. Kim listened as she turned on a tap and momentarily leaned back, trying to still her inner emotions. When Shego returned she was wrapped up in a bathrobe and she held out one to Kim as well. The teenager took it gratefully, though couldn't help but feel that she liked seeing Shego naked more. Shego watched her as she stood up, her expression a little bit more guarded than it had been. Despite that though, when Kim was about to close up her robe, the villainess stepped forward and took the robe's belt from her. Before closing it, she reached forward and ran her hand down Kim's stomach before veering off to touch her hip. She looked at her own hand for a long time before she leaned forward and kissed Kim again. The kiss was long and gentle, but it threatened to rob Kim of her very breath. When Shego finished, she closed Kim's robe and turned around without a word.

Kim stood very still, her breathing shallow and her body almost pulsing with its new found need.

"Shego," she breathed. "Wait…"

The villainess turned around and looked at her, her eyes raw with emotion. Kim wished desperately to see some of the feelings that she was experiencing there but it was too hard to say. It forced her to gather her courage and take a deep breath.

"Shego," she said, her voice almost desperate. "I think I…"

Shego held up her hand sharply, though her face never showed any more emotion.

"What ever you want to say," she said quietly. "Don't. Things will be complicated enough as it is."

Kim bit her lip and unconsciously took a step back and seeing it, Shego's features softened. She stepped back to the teenager and enveloped her in a secure hug.

"This should say enough for now," she said gently and kissed her on the forehead when she pulled away. "Come on, we have work to do."

&&&

Dr. Ann Possible sat in the washroom, her stomach twisting with nerves and a breakfast she shouldn't have eaten. She stared at the basin, realizing that she should scrub up but not quite finding the strength to do it. She had been rehearsing in her mind what she needed to do for the past hour, but realized suddenly that it didn't make it any easier.

She clenched her hands together and leaned forward, willing her stomach to quiet down. Closing her eyes, she started to slow her breathing, taking one steadying breath after the other. She remembered her first surgery and thought bitterly that she had not felt as nervous then as she does now.

'_You can do this Ann,'_ she motivated herself. _'No harm will come from this and by the time they realize that you faked it, you will hopefully be home with your family. This is just playing for time.'_

She looked up at as the door opened to admit Dr. Hewitt and swallowed, fighting against the brief flare of hate that she felt towards the woman. The blond smiled at her, looking almost anonymous in her surgical greens.

"They are ready for you Dr. Possible," she said cheerfully. "Have you scrubbed in yet?"

Ann shook her head wordlessly and took a hair band from her wrist to tie back the hair that she could. "I'll be with you in a moment," she said. "Is Jeremy under?"

She would've liked to talk to the boy before the surgery, give him a hint of encouragement to tell him that it was going to be alright, but his father had been true to his word and had not allowed her near him.

"Yes," Dr. Hewitt said pleased. "Dr. Stewart is a good man, isn't he?"

Ann didn't comment but pushed herself up, her head reeling as she fought to control her stomach. _'I'm going to be sick…'_ she thought but knew that she wouldn't be. She walked past Dr. Hewitt and briefly amused herself with the idea of throwing up on the woman, wondering if they'd let her off the hook then.

'_Probably not,'_ she thought amused as she put on a surgical cap and donned the last of her surgical greens. Feeling calmer, soothed by the familiarity of the routine, she finished washing her hands and allowed Dr. Hewitt to help her prepare. She looked through the observation window and saw Sandra walk around Jeremy to see if everything was in order and Adrian stare at his monitors, his brow furrowed as he made sure that the boy's sedation was correct. Ann shuddered suddenly, remembering that when this practice had started, patients used to be kept awake and surgeons would continue cutting away at the brain until the individual became passive.

She could've opted to have Jeremy conscious for the surgery but she didn't want to have to look the boy in the eye while she was expected to change his life.

'_You're a coward Ann,'_ she admonished herself as she took a deep breath and stepped into the operating theatre, unable to look at both Adrian and Sandra when she positioned herself at the boy's head. When she looked up she noticed that there was another observation window just a level up from where hers had been. Mr. Monsieur was standing there, leaning heavily on his cane as he looked down at them, his eyes bright with fevered anticipation.

'_Bastard,'_ Ann thought quietly as she finally worked up the courage to look at Adrian. His eyes were wild behind the mask and she could see that he was struggling as much as she was to maintain his calm.

'_Tell me to stop,'_ she urged him. _'Take a stand and tell me to stop. It would be easier then…'_

He didn't and, after meeting her gaze once, looked back to his monitors. She bit her lip, happy that the mask was hiding her show of weakness and looked at the shaved head in front of her.

'_God forgive me,_' she thought as she looked at the surgical implements. _'I have to do this…'_

&&&

They were rushing a bit.

Shego unplugged her computer and took out its memory stick. "I'll plug this into the jet," she said as she slipped it into a pocket Kim didn't know her suit had and packed up the rest of her laptop. "We can review it on the way there."

Kim watched her as she leaned against the kitchen counter, feeling a bit useless and very self-conscious in the mission gear Shego had chosen for her. As if sensing her thoughts, the villainess glanced up and met her gaze, smiling as she did so. Kim could not get over how beautiful the smile made her look.

"Trust me Pumpkin," she said. "That will be a lot more comfortable than your other mission clothes. You'll find that firstly, you won't have bits and pieces to get caught anywhere. And, the material that that's made of is thermo regulating. You won't get excessively hot or cold in it." She hesitated, looking almost shy. "But, you do look hot in it…"

Unable to help herself, Kim grinned, blushing as she pushed a stray piece of hair behind her ear.

"Shego," she said but didn't know what else to say. The older woman smiled at her, her eyes winking with thoughts that Kim could only guess at. She turned back to her laptop and finished packing everything out.

"I've been thinking about du Pont," she said. "And, a quick read showed that they've had quite a lot of medical equipment shipped to his island. You said earlier that two other people had gone missing? A doctor and a nurse?" She waited for Kim to nod before she continued. "Well, I think that Mr. Du Pont's putting together a surgical team."

There were still some cups in the kitchen that they had used, so Kim moved into the kitchen and quickly cleared them away. She frowned at the thought and paused, remembering something.

"Wade said that the man who had come to my mother's surgery had wanted her to alter his son's personality," she said. "The blog article read that Mr. du Pont was displeased by his son's public behaviour. When my mother refused him, he must've decided to take matters into his own hands." She finished with the rest of the dirty cutlery and washed the kitchen counter for good measure. Meanwhile, Shego carried on getting all their stuff.

"Probably," she said, her lip curling in distaste. "But, he took your mother very quickly after she refused him. This was premeditated Kimmie, he's had all the equipment for weeks before he saw your mother. Are you ready to go?" She gave Kim a once over.

Nodding, Kim finished up in the kitchen and went back to the bag that she had brought her clothes in. She had put the other clothes that Shego had gotten for her and her dirty mission clothes in there. Picking it up, she remembered the small package that Shego had given her when they were still in her apartment and fished it out from the bottom of the bag. She noticed Shego watching her as she opened it and pulled out a large wrist watch. Puzzled, she put it on and gave the older woman a questioning look.

Shego cleared her throat awkwardly and made a vague motion in her direction. "It's a radio," she said. "And a tracking beacon. I figured that you're used to working with backup and wouldn't feel comfortable going into a situation alone or unable to communicate if you're in trouble. We used those in Team Go, I have one as well."

Feeling very touched by the gesture, Kim touched the watch and smiled at the villainess. "Thank you," she said. "Naturally, I'll give it back to you when we're done." She made a considering sound. "It's not a bad place to put my Kimmunicator in you know, it's always dropping out of my pocket."

Snorting, Shego shrugged and motioned towards the door. "And you'll keep catching that on fences that you're climbing over them and the like. Keep it when we're done," she said. "I don't use it anymore. Now are we going?"

Kim nodded, feeling a rush of warmth towards Shego. She picked her bag and walked to the door, pausing when she reached her. Smiling at her hesitantly, she stood up on her toes and kissed her on the cheek.

"Thank you Shego," she said softly. "Once again, I can't thank you enough for everything that you've done to me."

Shego raised an eyebrow and didn't lean in to return Kim's kiss. "To you?" she queried, referring to Kim's last sentence.

The teenager blinked and shook her head embarrassed. "I meant for me," she said. "Though… I can thank you for all the other stuff as well. Thank you Shego."

&&&

She was still staring at the back of the boy's head and she still had not taken the scalpel in her hand.

'_Just do it Ann,'_ she urged herself. _'Pick up the scalpel, pick up the saw… You can do this. You're going to fake it… Just do it, this won't be for real…' _

She reached out to the surgical implements and paused again. _'But, the moment I touch him, the risks become real,' _she found herself thinking. _'He is a healthy boy. Whether I am just faking it, or cutting enough not to do damage… I am hurting him. I will change him, even if it's not as drastic a change as his father wants. And there's the risk of infection… Or something going wrong…'_ She pulled her hand back and looked up to the observation window. Mr. Monsieur was still looking at them, his face taunt as he glared at her, his eyes screaming at her to start.

Ann swallowed nervously and looked around the operating theatre. Everybody was looking at her, Dr. Hewitt with her calm puzzlement, Adrian with his mild concern and Sandra with her wild desperation. Everybody was waiting for her to start, everybody was going to watch her as she did this…

She shuddered, unable to help herself, and stepped away from the head of the bed.

"Ann…" Adrian began but she held up her hand.

"Just… Give me a moment," she said as she put her hands in her hips, thinking that she would have to get clean gloves. "Just give me a few seconds…" She fled back to the washroom before any of them could stop her, taking off her gloves as she did so and throwing them in the dustbin. She sank back down on one of the benches and put her head in her hands, breathing deeply, wondering if it was possible for her heart to explode in her chest even if she knew that it was anatomically impossible for a woman of her fitness in age. Dr. Hewitt joined her shortly afterwards, her brow furrowed deep as she tried to puzzle out Ann's behaviour.

"Dr. Possible?" she queried. "Is the equipment not suitable? Should I go and get your notes?"

Ann gaped at her, and shook her head, marvelling how for the first time it felt as if she was the only one who had a real moral dilemma with this.

"I don't have any complaints about the equipment," she said tightly. "I'm just not ready to do the surgery. I asked you for a few minutes, please."

Raising an eyebrow, Dr. Hewitt shrugged and sat down next to Ann. "It's not good for Jeremy to remain under anaesthesia for long," she pointed out mildly, looking at the bed in the other room.

Ann's head snapped up as she glared at the woman. "It's not good for Jeremy to be doing what we're doing!" she snapped. "God, you're such a hypocrite." The last came out before she could stop it, but Caroline Hewitt didn't even blink. Realizing that she couldn't stall any longer Ann got up slowly and scrubbed in again. Again, Dr. Hewitt helped her don the last of her garments and again, she stepped into the operating theatre, aware that every single person in the room was still looking at her. She went back to the head of the bed and stared at the boy's shaved head. Her hands shook as she picked up the scalpel, her eyes already seeing the lines where she should cut.

'_This won't hurt him in the long run,' _she thought. _'It's just now. You can do it Ann, come on. For everybody's sake, just make the cut.'_

She brought her hand to the patients head and pressed down firmly. She knew she was imagining it but she could almost feel the scalpel moved through Jeremy's flesh… She shuddered and stood back, letting the scalpel drop to the floor.

'_I can't do this…' _

Every head in the room snapped towards her and it dawned on her that she had spoken out loud. She felt her heart rate increase and could sense the burning panic that started building up inside her.

"Ann," Adrian said, his voice tense as he glanced at his monitors before standing up. "Ann, it's alright."

She took step back, beginning to feel overwhelmed by the nauseating smell of disinfectant and the insistent beeping of the machinery. "I can't," she said, aware of how her voice was shaking. "Adrian, I can't do it."

He saw the truth in her words for she saw a wave of despair wash over his face. Before he could comment though, Dr. Hewitt was beside her again, moving so that she could put a comforting hand around her. "Relax Dr. Possible," she said calmly. "You've already started, it's alright. This is for a good cause…"

Ann pushed away from her, slapping her hand away. "It isn't!" she snapped. "We are destroying this boy's life! I can't and won't do it!" Her eye caught the trial of blood that her tiny cut had made on Jeremy's head. As with any head wound, it was bleeding more than a normal cut of that size would. Her stomach twisted and for the second time that day she fled out of the operating theatre, barely making the wash basin in time as she threw up the breakfast that she had had. She clung to the metal bowl, shaking as fear and anger brought tears to her eyes. When she had expelled every last scrap of half digested food from her body, she leaned against the basin, staring at her own sick.

A void of loneliness washed over her and she knew without a doubt that she had never been as isolated in her life as she was now. There was nobody to lean on, nobody to comfort her and nobody to support her when she took a stand. The loneliness was so acute that it hurt. She wanted to huddle inside herself and cry but took a deep breath and fumbled for her anger. There was strength in anger, and it sure as hell felt better than loneliness.

When she straightened up she saw Adrian's reflection in the window in front of her. He had also taken off his gloves and mask and was watching her, his blue eyes desperate. "Ann," he said desperately. "Don't break now."

She turned to face him, her anger and hurt blending into a calm, cold pool of emotions.

"I'm done Adrian," she said. "I am not doing it. I refuse to, they can't fucking force me. I won't be able to live with myself if I do this, I won't be able to look you or anybody else in the eye. You are just an observer; you are just sitting there by your monitor. Sandra, she's just handing me the tools of my destruction. No, I'm sorry. I'm not doing it."

He stared at her but, if he had any objections he didn't voice it. Sighing softly, Adrian turned around and rubbed his head. "I have to get back to my patient," he said and left the room, making way for Dr. Hewitt who had just walked in. She looked at Ann with a kind of exasperation and put her hand in her hip as a mother would when scolding a child.

"Are you done Dr. Possible?" she queried, her thin blond eyebrows high on her forehead.

Ann looked at her calmly and pulled herself up to her full height. "Yes," she said as a matter of fact. "I am."

The woman blinked surprised and looked relieved. "Good," she said. "Are you going to want a change of clothes or are you alright?"

Ann crossed her arms stubbornly and shook her head. "No," she said. "I'm going to want a telephone and some transport back to the real world. I am not staying here."

It took a moment or two for Dr. Hewitt to realize what she meant. "You are not going to do the surgery?" she said surprised. "Dr. Possible – if you are not feeling well…"

She cut the woman off with a shake of her head. "I am _not_ doing the surgery," she said coldly. "I will not do it, nor will I go through with it." Like a child she added; "You can't make me."

Dr. Hewitt made to comment but a door opened behind her. Ann didn't have to turn around to know who it was.

"This is unprecedented Dr. Possible!" Mr. Monsieur snapped. "My boy is lying there sedated, why are you wasting our time? Get on and do the surgery."

She turned around slowly and glared down at the old man. "If you want your son's brain butchered then you do it yourself," she growled at him. "I am not going to do it because you cannot make peace with the fact that your wife has left. Because trust me, this is what this is all about." The man's face went white at the mention of his spouse, encouraging Ann to continue. Her own anger was like a fountain inside her and she could not contain it even if she wanted to. "You hate seeing your wife in your son's eyes, you hate seeing your wife in his likes and dislikes. I don't know why this is but I'm telling you now, _I don't care._ If you want to kill the last scrap that you have left of your wife then so be it, I will not be a part of it."

Mr. Monsieur gaped at her, his eyes cold with anger. "Dr. Possible, you are stepping over the line," he hissed but she was having none of it.

"No," she said and pointed a finger at it. "You are stepping over the line in everything that you have done the past few days, the past few _months_ if you consider that you had to get this place prepared for this macabre act. I don't know where your wife is, but from what I've seen, you deserved to have lost her. Hell, you probably drove her away…"

She anticipated the blow this time and, when the man lunged at her in anger, she sidestepped him, grabbed his arm and slung him into the basin. The blow wasn't hard, but it was enough to throw him off balance. Moving quickly, Ann yanked him up and put her arm round his neck in a chokehold. Dr. Hewitt made to shout but she shook her head sharply, glaring at the woman.

"I have had enough," she said. "Enough. Adrian! Sandra!"

She looked out of the window to see that everybody was gaping at her. When Mr. Monsieur tried to struggle against her grip, she tightened her hold on his neck and growled in his ear.

"Don't think I won't do it," she hissed. "I'm fed up with you and everybody here. Fed up!"

His body became lax as he tried to see if his weight would discourage her from holding him up but for all her thin stature, she was a strong woman and her anger and her adrenaline made her stronger. "Don't," she hissed again. "Adrian?"

Her two companions stepped into the room, their faces a picture of shock. When it dawned on Adrian what was happening, his eyes shown with a wild hope that fuelled Ann's resolve. He joined her side quickly, with Sandra following close behind him, her wide eyes unreadable.

"Should I take him?" he asked as Ann pulled Mr. Monsieur up again. She glanced behind her to see two guards had come in through the other door but they were both watching Dr. Hewitt who had her eyes fixed on Mr. Monsieur.

"I'm alright," Ann said, increasing her hold on the man's neck. "And, I'll be so much better if they listen to what I'm saying." She gave Caroline Hewitt a sharp look. "I want a phone; I want to phone my family. And I want to phone the fucking police to come and lock all of you up."

Dr. Hewitt kept her eyes on her boss, her face moving as she clenched her jaw. Licking her lip, she pulled herself up and clutched her hands in front of her. "Your position is not open for negotiation," she said in her ever-calm voice. "Just relax Dr. Possible, this is all very silly."

Ann almost laughed but managed to keep her emotions under control. "_Your_ position is not open for negotiation," she said, her calm meeting Caroline's like a cold knife. "I say again, give me a phone."

Behind her, Adrian and Sandra were watching the guards by the door. Ann heard Sandra take a deep breath and step towards them. "Tell them to give up their weapons," she said and motioned Adrian forward. "Tell them to give us their staffs. If they don't listen, then we'll just walk out."

"Atta girl!" Adrian said softly, sounding almost hysterically happy. "Give it up, boys."

Ann glanced behind her and saw the guards give Caroline a questioning look. The doctor sighed and nodded ever so slightly. Grudgingly, the two men relinquished their weapons to Sandra and Adrian. They switched them off as they did so, but the two people snatched them up anyway.

"Back off!" Adrian barked as the two guards remained too close for comfort. "Now, what about that phone for Dr. Possible?"

His hands fumbled for the on switch. Ann licked her lips, wondering how long they would be able to fend them off. She tried not to think about what would happen if they didn't negotiate, knowing that she had to believe that they would succeed in this. She looked at Caroline Hewitt and shook Mr. Monsieur again.

"Dr. Hewitt," she snapped. "A phone, please."

There was a satisfying sound of the stun lance turning on behind her. 'With weapons, we've got the upper hand,' Ann thought happily. 'We can…'

There was a surprised cry and a grunt from behind her. Ann's adrenaline spiked as she turned around surprised, just in time to see Adrian crumble to the floor. Sandra's eyes were determined as she took a second to watch him fall and then, oblivious to the command to halt from Dr. Hewitt, slung the lance at Ann. Instinct took over as Ann pushed Mr. Monsieur away but she moved too late to save herself and caught the lance right on the side of the head. Her vision blackened even as a white light exploded in her head. The pain was intense and she hadn't realized that she had fallen until she was vaguely aware of two people standing over her.

'_What happened?'_ she thought bewildered as the ringing in her ears became louder. _'What just happened?' _

Her vision turned and she was nauseous, aware that she was loosing her grip on consciousness.

"I told you she was too self-righteous," Sandra's voice sounded disgusted above the noise in Ann's head. "She was never a good choice…"

&&&

_To Be Continued…_

_AN: Right, and another one. Still going strong, slipping into the home stretch I think. (Though knowing me, the end's then still a couple of ten thousand words away._

_I've reopened my blog, moving it from blogger to wordpress. Blogger and I just didn't agree and I found myself unwilling to go there. You can find my wordpress blog by clicking on my homepage button. _

_Not much else to say except thank you for the reviews!! It's much appreciated. Thank you to my Beta for editing this. _

_Have a good one,  
Alyss  
3-;--_


	17. Infiltration

_**When a man lies, he murders some part of the world.**_

_**~Rospo Pallenberg and John Boorman, **__**Excalibur**__**, based on **__**Le Morte d'Arthur**__** by Thomas Malory**_

**Chapter 17: Infiltration. **

As much as Kim hated to admit it, Shego was right about the mission clothes. The cat suit was very comfortable, as well as waterproof and—to her elation—sand proof. Something her loose fitting mission clothes had never been.

They had landed Shego's jet in a secluded inlay on Mr. du Pont's island. It was an old WWII Allied base build right into the mountain. The maps that Shego had gotten of the place had shown them a path that they could take through caves that were carved into the mountain. According to the most recent information they had, du Pont had boarded up most of them and, except for the odd security measures like motion detectors and video cameras, nobody was really watching them. Their saving grace was that he wasn't a real criminal like Drakken or the Seniors so he didn't have any offensive defences in place. His defence was in his ability to function above suspicion.

Shego had assured Kim that nobody would notice her jet landing in the inlet as she manoeuvred the vessel into the small stretch of hidden land with a skill that left the teenager feeling envious. They didn't say anything as they disembarked but worked together effectively to get the last of their gear together. Kim felt herself becoming more and more aware of Shego as her mind slipped into mission mode, taking note of every movement, every show of emotion that the villainess expressed. She was so used to fighting her when she was on a mission that it felt strange to now work with her yet she suspected that they worked so well together now because they were acutely aware of each other. Her mind slipped back to the past few hours but she took a deep breath and forced her mind to become quiet. Shego glanced at her once, her green eyes unreadable as she raised an eyebrow and finished donning the last of her climbing gear. Kim couldn't help but marvel at how effective she felt with Shego around. If it had been Ron, he'd have gotten tangled up in his gear, lost his pants half way through the trip, or had been caught before they even landed.

She hated to admit it, but Shego seemed to be the better side-kick of the two.

'_Side-kick?'_ Kim found herself thinking as she switched on Shego's watch and joined the villainess where she was preparing to start scaling the cliff to the tunnel entrance that they were going to use. _'I'm the side-kick here. She's completely in charge.'_

Shego was waiting for her by the rock face, her gear ready for her climb. Kim didn't know what to say to her so instead she reached out to start her climb. Before she could start though, Shego cleared her throat and briefly touched her shoulder.

"Kim?" She said her name, making the hero turn to her. "Are you ready for this?"

Kim blinked at her and snorted, smiling bitterly. "It's the wrong time to be asking that," she said. "And of course I am."

There was a soft snort as Shego's lips thinned and she shook her head. "We don't know what we're going to find in there," she said softly. "Your mother's been captive here for days. People break under stress and do strange things, things that you might never expect them to."

A flare of fear shot through Kim, but she bit her lip, forcing herself to turn it to anger. "And you know this from experience?" she queried, though regretted her words immediately. Shego didn't seem to take them to heart when she shrugged and knocked a peg into the rock face.

"Just don't blame your mother," she said softly, "if she's had to do something that goes against what she believes. And, don't blame yourself, it doesn't help to dwell on these things."

Following the woman's lead, Kim started hitting her own pegs into the rock face. "That's cold Shego," she said stoically. "My mother's the strongest person that I know."

She couldn't see Shego's face when she replied, but she heard the deep sadness in her voice when she sighed softly.

"The stronger something is Kim," she whispered. "The more irreparable it is when it finally breaks."

&&&

Betrayal.

Bitterer than the bile in her mouth, the word echoed from her, bouncing around the room with the beat of her heart and the throbbing of her head.

They had been betrayed.

Dr. Ann Possible opened her eyes and stared at the ceiling above her. When she turned her gaze to the left her vision blurred and she felt more bile push up her throat. _'I have a concussion,'_ she thought clinically as she struggled to turn on her side in case she threw up. _'Heaven help me, we've been betrayed.' _

There was a shift from somewhere close to her and before she could open her eyes to see who it was, she felt cool hands touch her shoulders and try to push her back. "Ann, god Ann please, don't move," _Adrian,_ "I don't know how much damage has been done."

'_An uncountable amount,_' Ann thought bitterly as she struggled to open her eyes. _'More than I can ever fix.' _

"Adrian," she managed as she fixed her blurred gaze on him. "Adrian, I'm going… to be sick."

His light eyes flashed with concern as he quickly helped her lie in the recovery position before retaking his position on the floor next to the bed. "I think you have a concussion," he tightly. "I thought that you would never wake up." There was a faint smell of dried blood around him and, when she got her focus back, Ann realized that there was a trail of red running from his scalp. When he saw her looking at it Adrian grimaced and shrugged, touching his head gingerly.

"I tried to fight," he said softly. "I really did."

She closed her eyes again, the light searing into her throbbing thoughts. "How long have I been…" She trailed off, unable to find the strength to complete her sentence.

Her fellow doctor bit his lip and carefully touched the back of her head. When she flinched at his touch he drew his hand back and shook his head. "It's hard to tell here," he said softly. "But, it must've been two hours at least."

_Two hours…_

Ann refrained from shaking her head in disbelief and carefully raised her hand to try and feel what had hurt so much when Adrian touched her head. When she felt the tell-tale crust of dried blood, she closed her eyes and rested her head against the cool feeling mattress. With her head hurting the way it was, she just wanted to sleep to get away from it. She allowed herself to start drifting off until Adrian grabbed her by the shoulder and gave her a slight shake.

"Ann," he said tensely. "Ann, don't go to sleep again. Come on now."

Nauseous, Ann squinted at him and swallowed. "Adrian, please…" Her throat was dry and tight with sudden tears but he shook his head stubbornly and carefully stood up and sat down next to her, lifting up her head and shoulders so that she could rest her head in his lap. The movement made her retch, but she managed to keep it under control by closing her eyes. _'God, save me,'_ she thought bitterly. _'Save us…' _

"Adrian?"

He murmured his attention and rested a hand on her shoulder.

"What just happened?" Ann continued. "What the hell happened with Sandra Johnston?"

Adrian let out an angry breath and tightened his hand on her shoulder. "She betrayed us," he said with the same bitterness that she felt. "She was a mole from the start."

Ann swallowed and tried to sit up but Adrian pushed her down. "Don't move," he said softly. "Please Ann, just stay still."

Although she didn't want to listen to him she could understand the sense in his words.

"I thought that she was scared," she said more to herself. "I thought that we would have to protect her, not protect ourselves from her. How could she do this, how?"

He snorted, his gaze fixed on the door. "I suspect money," he said quietly. "Why would anybody want to partake in something like this?"

There was no answer in their bare room. Ann wondered what was going to happen to them now, whether her refusal to operate on the boy had cost them their lives. She knew with a sinking certainty that she would not be able to operate now even if she wanted to and that their usefulness had just been annulled. Grief pushed up past the nausea and when she blinked, Adrian gently wiped the tears from her cheeks.

"Adrian, I'm sorry," she said softly. "I should just have done it. I'm so sorry."

He didn't reply immediately but kept wiping the tears from her cheek. Eventually, she felt him sigh as he squeezed her shoulder.

"Honestly?" he said softly. "I wouldn't have been able to live with myself if you had done it. I mean, you can tell yourself a lot of things in a situation like this, trying to justify it, but at the end of the day you have to look yourself in the eye when you walk away from this. In your position, I'd have gone through with it, but I would've hated myself for the rest of my life."

Unable to help herself, Ann chuckled bitterly and opened her eyes to stare at the door of their room. "At least we might've had a life to go back to," she said softly. "Have they come to see you at all?"

Adrian shook his had and gently ran his fingers through her hair. "No," he said. "They just threw us in here and left. I don't even know if Jeremy's alright. I don't know if I should care really."

Swallowing, Ann sighed softly and pushed herself up carefully despite Adrian's protest. "It's not his fault," she said weakly as she sat upright and rested her head in her hands, trying hard to still her stomach, thinking that she felt capable of killing for a Tylenol. "This is just one…" Her stomach heaved and she had to close her eyes to try and focus on controlling it. "Big fuck up."

Adrian looked worried when he studied her but said nothing and moved to the furthest side of the bed. "Do you think your daughter's still coming?" he asked softly though his eyes told Ann that it was a dead hope. She swallowed again, unable to shake her head in fear of triggering the nausea again.

"I don't know," she said softly. "She'd have been here by now if she was."

&&&

Shego had sketched out their plan and—for lack of any better ideas—Kim went along with it without objection. They navigated their way through the dark, disused caves, Shego easily dealing with the security systems that they had in place. Kim kept a close eye on her, remembering her half healed ribs when she noticed that Shego seemed more winded than she should have normally been after the climb. She knew instinctively not to ask the woman about it though, knowing that Shego wouldn't take kindly to her noticing her weakness.

She was a very complicated woman, but having had a glimpse of her life, Kim couldn't blame her. She shuddered, remembering her deal with Big Daddy Brotherson, and moved closer to Shego in the darkness of the cave. She had ignited her hands to give them some light to work with. Kim had a torch but didn't use it unless Shego stopped to look at the GPS that they were using. When she saw the villainess stop she turned her torch on again just as Shego let her fire die.

She gave the woman a moment to look at the GPS, which had all the maps from the facility loaded onto it, waiting until she put it away and reignited her hands before she spoke up.

"Does it hurt when you do that?" she queried softly, surprising Shego with her voice.

The villainess glanced at her and then at the two passageways that were before in. "No," she said blankly, frowning at the ceiling. "I wouldn't do it if it did. We have a choice here Pumpkin, the left passage leads to the medical facilities where I suspect they are keeping your mother. The right leads to a section outside the facility where, according to the map, you have some of the living quarters and old offices. Where do you think we should start?"

Kim made a considering sound and turned off her own torch. "Where's the security control?" she queried. "I think the best thing would be to go there and see where they are keeping my mom. This place is huge, if we do a door to door search it's going to take hours. And we'll get discovered quicker." Discovery was inevitable. Kim just wanted to buy them as much time as possible.

When she saw Shego smile, Kim realized that that had been her plan from the start and that she had asked her opinion as a sort of test. Feeling both pleased and irritated, Kim motioned to Shego to walk in front. The woman chose the right passage and let the fire around her one hand die so that she could take out the sonar like device that she used to detect the security devices. With a glance in Kim's direction she started moving down the passageway in a slow lope, with Kim falling in close behind her. The passage wasn't very long and soon they reached the part of it that had been boarded up with thick, wooden planks. Shego snorted at the sight of them and, putting away her sonar, put her head against the boards to listen for noises on the other side. When she heard nothing she used her ignited hand and tore it from the wall. As she removed the barrier, a broom fell back against the floor, startling both of them.

Kim swallowed as she stared at the harmless implement and glanced at Shego who had both her hands ignited. The villainess grimaced and looked at the storage closet they had opened. "There's a reason my broom closet's bolted," she said to no one in particular. "Come on."

She went ahead of Kim and pushed more brooms out of the way without letting them fall. With her hands still ablaze she reached for the doorknob and pushed against it. It clicked open easily, the lock melting under her touch, and for the first time, in a quietly strange way Kim found herself envying the woman's power. She remembered the thrill of Hego's power when it had been transferred to her, how strong she had felt and confident in herself. If Shego had that every day, no wonder Teryl Adamson made a play for it.

As if sensing her thoughts, Shego turned to her and frowned, her green eyes full of scrutiny. Embarrassed about where her thoughts had taken her, Kim cleared her throat and motioned to the door. "What are we going to do?" she queried. "Won't security find us the moment we step through?"

Shego shrugged, clearly unworried as she opened the door a slid. "Their security in most parts is pretty basic." She took out her GPS and tapped the screen. "If my information is correct, there's a security camera at the end of the hall that I can easily deal with."

Kim bit her lip and looked around her. "What about the vents?" she queried. "You know, the ventilation shafts? Why don't we just use them?"

Shego's lips thinned for a second as she glanced up to see the covered vent above them. Then, with a strange touch of amusement she closed the door and nodded. "Not my usual way of entry, but I'll give it a shot," she said sounding amused. "I can't use my power in a vent."

Grinning because she discovered a thin sliver of approval in Shego's amusement, she motioned to the vent, hoping that Shego had something to open it with because she had left her laser lip stick behind. She hadn't realized how dependent she had become on Wade's gadgets and it was a bit intimidating to be without them.

"I'll cover you," Kim said amused and motioned to the vent. "Will you do the honours?"

The super villain grinned as she ignited her hands. "With pleasure…"

&&&

It was only when the door opened, startling her awake, that Ann realized she had fallen asleep again. Pushing herself up from where she had been leaning against the bed, she squinted at the new comer. In her befuddled state it took her a moment or two to recognize the woman but Adrian, who had been sitting on the other side of the room, had no such delay.

"You bloody bitch!" he snapped as he jumped to his feet. "You fucking bitch, I felt sorry for you! How could you do this to us?"

_Sandra Johnston_.

She watched as Adrian made a lunge for the woman but a stoic faced guard deftly stepped in between them and grabbed the angry anaesthesiologist. He shoved him against the wall hard and twisted his elbow up, making Adrian grunt in pain.

"Stop it!" Ann and Sandra said at the same time, though Ann's tone had desperation in it that Sandra's blank tone lacked. The two women looked at each other when the guard stepped away from Adrian, shoving him to the far side of the room. Adrian struggled to find his feet, his hand rubbing his elbow grudgingly and his eyes bright with anger as he looked at the nurse. She sniffed and crossed her arms.

"Don't be mad at me," she said off handily. "_I_ didn't get you into this mess."

Ann snorted angrily and pushed herself up onto the bed, wondering when she had sat down on the floor. She didn't miss the worried look Adrian gave her, but couldn't respond to it as vertigo hit her. She gingerly put her head in her hands but sniffed angrily.

"You're most certainly part of the cause," she said. "How could you do this to us Sandra? Since when have you been in on it?"

The brunette shifted uncomfortably as if she didn't feel up to answering. Sighing, she crossed her arms in front of her chest and shrugged. "They approached me six weeks ago," she said and motioned with her head to the outside of the room. "I know Caroline and she's aware of my unique financial position."

Adrian stepped closer with a growl. "So you're doing this for the money?" he snapped to which Sandra shrugged.

"Of course," she said. "And you could to, if you take my offer."

Ann sat up immediately, shaking her head despite the dizziness. "I'm not doing the surgery," she snapped. "I refuse to."

Sandra glanced at her and snorted. "Dr. Possible, with respect – in the condition that you are in I don't even think that you can do the dishes." She sniffed and turned to Adrian. "No, this offer only includes Dr. Stewart here, you've had your chance Dr. Possible. You're a very selfish woman you know," she returned her impassive gaze on Ann, "you had no idea what these people where capable of yet you risked both my life and Adrian's with your little personal moral dilemma. Really, you should've known better."

There was nothing that she could say to that, lacking the strength and reasoning to argue with the woman. Sandra gave her a pointed look before turning back to Adrian.

"You can stay on here at a handsome fee. When Dr. Hewitt has found another surgeon who will do the surgery you can assist him or her, you've been so involved here already, it would be a shame to loose the preparation time and your input."

Adrian looked sick at her words, his eyes shooting to Ann. "What about Dr. Possible?" he queried. "What do you have planned for her?"

It wasn't the quiet shrug that told Ann what she wanted to know but the detached way Sandra glanced at her. "I'm not privy to that information," she said. "They've been in a meeting since we've put you here. As far as I can gather, Caroline wants to give her a second chance, but she's always been kind hearted. Mr. du Pont is very angry."

Ann frowned and took a deep breath, trying to clear her mind as Sandra turned around to leave. "Du Pont?" she queried.

Sandra hesitated in the doorway. "Mr. Monsieur," she said. "They figured it's time to drop the charade." Her eyes were strangely angry when they looked to Adrian. "Decide quickly Dr. Stewart, I don't know how long they will keep their hand extended in your direction."

She left the room without another word.

Ann, feeling emotionally hollow, watched as look of anguish travel across Adrian's features as he sat down, hugging his arms to his chest. She envied him, so liberal with showing his insecurity at this point in time. She could not even force herself to grimace.

"Take the offer Adrian," she said to the soundless room. "You would've stood by and watched me do it. There's no reason you shouldn't do it with another person."

"Ann," he breathed shocked. "No."

She swallowed and allowed herself to flow to the floor again so that she could rest her head against the bed. "She told us his name," she said, wondering why she wasn't crying. "That's a sign of saying that they won't lose anything if they do because we won't be able to tell anybody. They won't let me leave here but, if you play into their favour, you might. One day."

"Fuck it Ann!" the man exclaimed and got up from his position on the floor so that he could come and stand in front of her. "I won't do it! I told you, I had made a mistake allowing you to do it. Or start, whatever. I can't do it and knowing that they might…"

He trailed off, his silence voicing his fears better than any words ever could.

"It's about survival, Adrian," Ann said sharply, pushing him away as he hunched next to her. "This isn't about what's right and wrong anymore. It's about at least one of us making it. I'm the one who made a mistake here. I thought I could stall for time, I thought I could outsmart them and outplay their game but I was wrong and I lost. If you stand with me now, I'll have more than one life on my conscience."

Adrian grabbed her, regardless of her tries to push him away, and gripped her shoulders tightly as if he could force some sense into her. "You said that people are coming for us," he hissed. "Don't give up hope Ann, I can stall. I'll find a way to stall or plead your case. Don't do this to yourself."

She found tears then, quiet, warm tears that felt as if they were bleeding from her soul. "It's too late Adrian," she said as she looked at him through a haze of moisture. "You heard what she said, my time is up."

&&&

The only warning that the security personnel had that they were in trouble was the air vent's cover dropping off. Seconds later both Shego and Kim dropped through the shaft, Shego leaping onto two surprised olive skinned young men who had turned to look at them and hitting their heads together just as Kim leapt on another occupant in the room, effectively kicking him back and then unconscious with a follow up kick. The door opened behind them and another woman looked in, startled by the commotion. Before Shego could shout at her, Kim leapt forward, grabbed the woman by her arm and threw her into the room as she pushed the door close where Shego pounced to her side, gripping her head as if she was going to snap it from her neck. Kim's heart stood still for a second as she thought Shego would kill the dark haired security woman but the villainess briefly ignited her hands and the woman crumbled in her grip.

'_I know what that feels like,'_ Kim thought bitterly as Shego eased the unconscious woman to the floor and turned her green gaze to the security monitors. Stepping over the two guards that she had felled she slipped into one of their vacated chairs and motioned Kim to the other one.

"It will be quicker if we both look," she said. "Come on Princess, time's wasting."

Kim quickly locked the door behind her and slipped in next to Shego.

"Where's the cells?" she queried as she scanned the various security monitors in front of her. Shego shook her head sharply, glancing at the unconscious people with them before she turned her attention back to the monitors. "There weren't any specifically labelled," she said. "Just keep looking for… Who's that?" She paused one of her screens and pointed out a woman in a white lab coat walking into one of the camera's view. Kim's mouth dried in anticipation as she squinted at the screen but she quickly shook her head.

"That's not my mom," she said. "See, curly hair."

Shego squinted then rolled her eyes, peeved at being shown up. "Of course," she said tightly, glancing at the guards again. "Next."

They flipped through the monitors.

Kim, with her heart-rate increasing with anticipation finally found a security view that looked promising. She'd have missed her mom had she not seen the other man pacing around the small room. She could read his agitated body language and immediately stopped her scrolling. It was only when she squinted at the screen that she saw her mom sitting on the floor beside the bed. Her heart leapt as she grabbed Shego's arm, yanking her close to the screen.

"She's alive!" she exclaimed. "Look Shego, she's alive."

The villainess jumped at her touch and jerked back glared at Kim for startling her.

"Keep it down!" she exclaimed. "Someone might come round any second damn it."

Kim quickly checked herself but didn't let go of Shego's arm for all the woman's attempts to pull away. "It's my mom," she said. "And somebody else, look."

Shego peered at the monitor before pulling out her GPS. "What camera is that?" she queried and typed in a few commands. "Give me its number."

Kim squinted at the top corner of the monitor and quickly read the code through to Shego who made a considering sound. "It's in a different section," she said. "And the vents don't link up. We'll have to take some of the corridors… What?" She cut off when Kim cursed softly and pointed to another monitor.

"We have a problem," the teen said. "Look." She pointed to the one monitor that showed the curly haired woman that they had seen earlier studying the storage closet door that they had intended to come through originally. As they watched, she pulled the door open, running her one hand over the lock that Shego had melted as she peered into the closet. Her back stiffened as she looked at the board that they had not bothered to put back up and abruptly she turned around and started running.

Both Kim and Shego were silent for a few seconds before Kim abruptly jumped to her feet and looked around her. "We've got to get out of here," she said. "The first place where they will look is security to see where we are."

Shego stood up more slowly, her face tense as she looked at the next monitor that showed the woman running. "She is coming this way," she said. "This is going to make things a lot more difficult." She watched as Kim pulled a chair closer to the air vent and abruptly shook her head. "They'll figure it out. It's too easy to trap someone in there." Her mouth thinned as she looked at the four guards around them. The two that she had head bashed together were starting to stir and she quickly hunched down beside them and touched their forehead, a spark of green fire from her fingers licking at their temples. Kim was looking at her, her face tight as she tried to think of a plan of action. Her eyes rested on the woman that Shego had neutralized, taking in her dark hair and foreign features. Shego caught her looking at the woman and frowned, opening her mouth to snap something but stopping herself when Kim looked at her, her eyes bright with desperate hope.

"I think I've got a plan," she said. "Help me undress this woman."

Shego blinked but immediately hunched down next to Kim as she started pulling off the woman's shoes. When she caught onto the idea she smiled, wickedly, and patted Kim on the back.

"Spoken like a true lesbian, Cup Cake. I'm proud of you."

&&&

_To Be Continued…_

_AN: Let me first start by saying Merry Christmas (belated) and Happy New Year. Sorry i've been so quiet. December was devoted to RL issues, sapping my creative juices. I wrote this in segments of about 500 words, so admittably - i'm not pleased with the flow but there you go. :)  
I wanted to finish this story by December, but alas - i'll have to drag it into another year. :) I hope that this finds you all well, and safe. _

_Alyssa_


	18. Reunion Redone 16 May 2010

_AN: This is a rewrite of the previous Chapter 18 posted on 16/05/2010. If you have read Healer's Touch before that, you need to reread this. For more information, please see my profile for a link to my blog post about this._

**Chapter 18: Reunion**

Deep in the heart of Global Justice's underground base, Ron found himself aimlessly wandering the corridors with Rufus on his shoulder, his body tired and bruised from the blast Shego had given him at the Bermuda Triangle. He had lost track of time here, deep underground, and couldn't for the life of him say how long he had been there. It could've been hours, it could've been days. All he knew was he was thinking and the more he thought, the more questions he got. Questions were fine if you had the answers, but the ones he had made him uncomfortable because he suspected that they had no conclusion...

Not until they found Kim anyway.

His heart clenched at the thought of his friend and his head swam with the vision of her being pulled up the stairs by Shego, her outfit making her look completely alien to him. It left a bitter taste in his mouth because he couldn't understand why Kim would choose to go with Shego instead of staying with him. 'I had asked her, damn it. Why didn't she comply?' He thought that she'd listen to him or at least take him with her and not leave him to struggle on with Global Justice.

He was angry at Global Justice as well, frustrated by their apparent lack of progress and rash actions. He couldn't help but feel that if they had not attacked Kim and acted so harshly then perhaps she might've stayed. As it were, they were threatening her and that was never the way to deal with his best friend.

He ambled down the corridor until he arrived at the Director's office. Without bothering to knock, he pushed the door open and stepped into the anteroom. It was devoid of life, the desk in the corner abandoned with a half-full cup of coffee still perched on the edge near the computer. The door at the other end of the room was ajar and, as he stepped in deeper, it opened abruptly.

Ron couldn't help but blink when he saw the director's secretary, Doctor Leanne Williams. She paused when she saw him, her sharp eyes blinking behind her coke-bottle thick glasses. She hesitated, and then closed the door behind her, balancing a couple of files in her hands and an empty cup of coffee. Seeing her brought up another set of questions and concerns to Ron's mind... Despite the fact that she helped him save KP, he didn't like seeing her _here_ because she was a reminder that justice didn't always occur the way he thought it should. Granted, she had helped him and KP escape the compound and ultimately help Shego recover, but she had also been a part of the process that had gotten them there. The last time he checked, justice wasn't a religion, where one confession or one good deed could make up for a life time of wrong.

When she smiled at him, fidgeting with her standard GJ outfit, he mustered up a half smile and motioned to the door.

"How's she feeling?" he queried before adding a hasty, "Hi Leanne."

The woman's small mouth thinned as she walked to her desk and sat down, placing the file folders into one of her cabinets and the cup into a sliding panel in the wall, the panel closing and hiding it from view. Whether it was doomed to be destroyed or washed Ron couldn't tell.

"Refuses to rest," she said in a short, clipped voice. "She took quite a hard knock but feels that, as with everybody, if she wants her way she'll get it. Staying upright when she needs to be down is no exception." She looked up and twisted her head slightly to the one side. "Hello Ronald."

They stared at each other in silence for a few moments, images of her aiming a gun at his face flashing through his mind and then the relief that she was going to help them. Ron grimaced and looked down to the floor, shuffling his feet uncomfortably.

"Ah, I'm going to talk to Betty, if that's alright." he said softly. "She's in her office right?"

Leanne made a considering sound and then answered. "Yes, but you must forgive me Ron. I can't let you go in. She needs rest, even if it's just rest from company..." There was a beep on her desk. Giving the intercom an offended look, Leanne answered it. "Yes?"

The director's voice followed, crisp and clear despite how she must be feeling. "Send him in, Leanne, my door is always open."

A flash of disapproval crossed Leanne's features as she glared at Ron but then conceded with a sigh and motioned him to the door, turning off the intercom.

"She has a headache," she said. "Don't be a pest."

Ron shared a look with Rufus and nodded before going past to the door, wondering if Leanne's fierce show of duty was an act or genuine. Betty Director had given her a very big chance to come and work with GJ rather than face the wrath of her previous employers. Thinking about it, he realized that she might've escaped justice but she also escaped retaliation from her peers. She had compromised years of research by going up against Teryl Adamson and there was no telling how mad people might be at her. She was probably trapped here, a prisoner to her own circumstances because she needed to stay in the protection of Global Justice.

He sighed softly, realizing that these thoughts were also not very comfortable ones to have so quickly went into Dr. Director's office and shut the door behind him. When he turned around he expected the director to be looking at him but she had her head propped up on her hands and were looking at some maps in front of her.

Ron raised an eyebrow and moved closer hesitantly, suddenly wondering what to say to her. She and Kim always spoke when they were here or called up by GJ. To be precise, he suspected that she and Kim had communicated 'off duty' as well sometimes but that had end when Kim decided that GJ had betrayed her and Shego by refusing to help them save the super villainess.

_That_ troubled him as well, he realized suddenly. Not that they didn't try and help them but that Kim took such offence at the act. He couldn't help but feel that GJ must've acted for the greater good.

It was the way they worked.

"Got a lot on your mind?" She asked.

Ron startled up and blinked at the director who had pushed her paperwork aside and was looking at him with a touch of pained amusement. Rufus had moved, unnoticed, from his shoulder and was standing on her desk, patting her elbow encouragingly.

"You've been standing there for several minutes thinking."

He couldn't help but feel that she was amused by the idea that he could stand for several minutes _thinking_ but then he remembered that they had actually _studied_ him a couple of years ago and therefore probably knew him better than he knew himself.

He swallowed and gave her a hesitant smile, pulling a chair closer.

"I'm just wondering how it's possible for GJ to have so much trouble finding Dr. Possible," he said honestly, as it was also one of the _questions_ on his mind.

Dr. Director looked tired as she sighed softly and motioned to the coffee machine in the corner of the room. "Feel free to make some for yourself," she said and sat back. "I've been wondering that myself."

Ron gave her a pained look. "You're supposed to be the best," he said, unsure if he was accusing her of anything. "Yet you guys really seemed to be dragging your feet on this. I mean, you found Kim quick enough when she went to the Triangle," He couldn't keep his voice from turning bitter, "Though you lost her just as quick." He didn't know where the last came from and shut his mouth quickly when he saw Dr. Director frown, clearly irritated.

"Is there a point to your visit Ronald?" she queried. "I can't imagine you gracing me with your presence just because you're bored."

_Actually..._

Ron swallowed and shrugged, looking at Rufus who had found a breakfast bar and was pushing it towards the Dr. Director. "Actually, I just want to hear if you have any news. Or clues. Or anything. I left Wade with Will Du so..." He paused. "I've been pretty much in the dark."

Dr. Director frowned then sighed softly and shrugged, motioning to Rufus that he could carry on. "So have I," she said dryly before she sat up and, rubbing her forehead pushed a magazine in Ron's direction. Rufus meanwhile chatted happily and proceeded to open up the nutrition bar and devour it in seconds "My sources tell me that Big Daddy's assistant was seen walking with one of the editions of this magazine just before his meeting with Shego and Kim. It wasn't this month's though they haven't been able to figure out which one it was and it wasn't in his rooms when we searched it and we all saw Kim leaving with some sort of tube from the room. Does it mean anything to you?"

Ron paged through it quickly and shrugged, pushing it back to Betty. "Villains read it?" he tried with a shrug. "I don't know Dr. Director."

She smiled slightly at him, kindly and shook her head. "Neither do I," she said. "And I'm sure that if I had more than half my senses I could figure it out. I've had some of my agents scan through some previous editions." She paused, looking at him strangely suddenly. "Wanna have a go at it? It will give you something to do."

Ron hesitated then shrugged as she motioned to a box of magazines next to her desk. "Sure," he said dryly. "They say I'm a natural villain so..."

He paused and sighed, _that_ was an experience that he would rather not think of either. Zorpox the Conqueror had opened up a whole bag of questions that he just decided to ignore until they mutate into ways to get cheap, good food and honest and safe way. He didn't realize that his worry was conveyed in his voice because the director looked at him quaintly and reached over across the desk and took a hold of his hand.

"You were only a natural at it when they took everything that is good away from you," she said quietly. "Don't ever doubt yourself Ronald. You might not be what people expect in a hero, but you are definitively _not_ villain material as you're sitting here in front of me." She patted his hand and sat back, rubbing her brow. "You just have a unique perception on life."

Ron found himself smiling slightly as he pulled the magazine on the desk closer. "Thanks Dr. Dee," he said softly and stood up so that he could take the rest of the magazines. There were only about twelve of them, spanning back a year. Rufus leapt into the box immediately and took one out but Ron motioned to him to wait and glanced at the director who had once again rested her head in her one hand. He realized that despite her dark complexion she looked quite pale. Grimacing, he picked up the box, planning to find another place to sit and figure it out but when he moved to the door the director stirred and gave him a brief, amused look.

"You can stay in my office," she said. "It's quieter here and Leanne can make us coffee and bring us food."

At the magic word, Ron found himself looking at Dr. Director eagerly. "Any chance of getting me a Bueno Nachos meal?" he queried to which the woman smiled.

"Anything for the 'Ron Factor,'" She said, amused. "I'll just call Leanne..."

Kim and Shego fell in front of the woman, trading blows with years of practice. It was a challenge for Kim to make it look real and at the same time protect Shego's healing ribs. Once they were satisfied that it looked real and knowing that dragging it out would blow their cover, Kim gave Shego an opening. A blind swipe at Shego gave the woman a gap to grab her arm, wrench her up and slam her against the wall.

The villainess had donned a female guard's uniform and had taken a hat from one of the male personnel to hide her hair and had also quickly taken out some foundation and smeared it across her features to hide her green complexion. When Kim had looked at her questioningly Shego had shrugged and said shortly.

"To blend."

Thinking about it, the teenager realized that she probably carried makeup with her whenever she had to infiltrate a place to steal something. Her complexion was a dead giveaway. They had shoved the half-naked guard into a storage cupboard and were silently praying that the people won't search the room too thoroughly while they were still inside. They finished just in time to throw themselves in front of the approaching woman they had identified as Dr. Caroline Hewitt.

Kim grunted more from surprise than pain as Shego shoved her against the wall and turned to see Dr. Hewitt's reaction. She was staring at them, shocked. Then, when she had a closer look at Kim, she realized who Kim was and stepped closer, interested. Before she came to close, Kim tried to lunge at her, surprised that the anger she put into her face wasn't just acting.

"Where's my mother?" she demanded. "What have you done with her?" She struggled against Shego's grip. "Let me go!"

The doctor took a step back again, but didn't look very troubled as she glanced at Shego who yanked Kim back with a growl. "Do you have her?" she queried. "Where are the others?"

Before Shego could answer, knowing that it might blow their cover, Kim shouted again. "Where is my mother?"

Dr. Hewitt swallowed and made a soothing gesture with her hand, stepping closer again. "Calm down," she said. "She's all right. I'll take you to her right now, just calm down. You Possible women are terribly high strung." She glanced at Shego again, who conveniently kept her head behind Kim's. "Come along."

She turned around without hesitation and started walking down the hallway. The two women stared at her back, surprised by her calm manner. Kim heard Shego mutter something under her breath and pushed her forward but if it was meant for her ears, she didn't repeat it.

"Global Justice knows where I am," Kim said with forced confidence. "They'll be here any second so the best thing for all of you would be to just let her go and turn yourselves in."

Dr. Hewitt glanced back with a raised eyebrow and shook her head. "I doubt," she said dryly. "We all know that Global Justice has a habit of coming in guns blazing. Our security systems would've picked them up by now."

Yanking against Shego for show, Kim sneered at the woman. "You didn't pick me up," she said, "or my sidekick. Trust me, it's best for all of us if you just release my mother and me."

Dr. Hewitt snorted as she waved two more guards over and motioned to them to fall in behind Shego. "I have heard of your sidekick Kim," she said patiently. "I don't think he's the most competent boy to have around."

That made Kim angry. "Ron's not incompetent!" she snapped and yanked against Shego who hissed at her. "He's saved my life more than once!"

The woman made a considering sound. "We'll deal with him when we see him," she said. "Raphael, could you please radio to ahead to Mr. DuPont and tell him that we have Dr. Possible's daughter in custody. He needs to know this if he is to make a decision. Tell him we're taking her to her mother. I don't see any need to keep them separated."

Again Shego muttered under her breath and this time Kim heard her clearly. "Stupid bitch," the villainess muttered. Kim purposefully stomped on her foot, which earned her a sharp clout against the head.

Dr. Hewitt glanced at them and shook her head. "No need for that now," she said and took a concerned step closer as the guard she had spoken to started speaking on his radio. She paused when she looked at Shego before frowning and turning around again. "Come along."

Kim felt Shego stiffen suddenly. Pretending to struggle against her, Kim turned her head so that she could whisper at her.

"What?"

Shego grabbed her again and, wrenching her arm up against her back, pulled her ear close to her mouth. "I think we're busted," she whispered. "New plan - grab the doc, I'm going to push you forward..."

Before Kim could protest, she felt Shego's grip on her arm relax as she shoved her forward. Kim almost tripped but used the momentum to lunge at the woman who had her back turned towards them. The guards shouted warning but Kim reached her before they could and pulled her back. She was vaguely aware of Shego fighting the two guards that had been walking behind them, the villainess had grabbed one of their stun lances when she turned around and was using it like a quarterstaff. She made quick work of them, her natural grace a far more than their training had prepared them for.

Dr. Hewitt made a strangled gasp as Kim hooked her arm around the woman's neck and pulled her back, closer to Shego. She reached back and tried to pull Kim's hair but the teen hero instinctively punched her fist into the woman's kidney, winching the moment she did so.

"Stop it!" she growled at the doctor. "Or I'll hurt you again I swear."

_She's a civilian..._ Kim's conscience whispered at her. _What are you doing?_

She would've loved to know and quickly looked back to see Shego move past her and stand between them and the advancing guards.

Kim yelled at Shego, putting her back against the wall so that she could not be ambushed from behind while she was holding onto Dr. Hewitt. "New plan?"

The villainess still held onto the stun lance and was waving it at the guards in threat. "I'd stop right there if I were you boys," she snapped. "Trust me, things can only get worse for you guys from here. Improvising Princess, we're improvising. She recognized me." She glanced back at the doctor. "Didn't you doc?"

Kim heard Dr. Hewitt grind her teeth together before her body relaxed. "I'm the base chief medical officer," she said calmly. "What did you expect? I know almost everybody here."

Shego smiled and stepped closer to them. When she saw a guard reach for his radio, she blasted it out of his hand with a well aimed blow of green fire. The people gasped surprised, having not expected it and looked at her stunned.

"None of that now," Shego said with a sly grin. "I would love for this party to remain semi private."

Kim felt Dr. Hewitt stiffen. "Who are you?" she demanded to which Shego turned around and smiled.

"I'm hired help," she said, "And you are going to take us to Kimmie's mother." She turned back to the soldiers. "And you guys are going to back off and drop your weapons otherwise I'll apply this..." She fired up her hand and aimed it at Doctor Hewitt, "To her."

There were a few seconds of tense silence, with Shego eyeing all parties with quiet determination. She had lost her hat in the fight, her hair trailing down to her waist again, looking like the persona of retribution.

Kim shivered, her feelings changing between sudden uncertainty and gratification. _They kidnapped my mother,_ she thought as she tightened her hold on Dr. Hewitt. _These people were responsible for taking my mother and bringing us here._

Dr. Hewitt took a quick breath as the guards reluctantly dropped their weapons. "I do not have Mr. Du Pont's authorization..." She started but cut off when Shego smiled at her.

"It's not really needed in this situation now is it?" she said and stepped closer to Dr. Hewitt while keeping her eyes on the rest of the guards. "You clearly know the way." Her hand ignited as she reached for the woman's face.

Kim's heart skipped a beat as her eyes snapped to Shego's. "Shego," she said quickly. "Please." She heard Dr. Hewitt gasp at Shego's name and knew immediately that the woman had connected the dots. "She'll go, won't she?" She yanked at Dr. Hewitt's arm.

"You're not supposed to be here," Dr. Hewitt whispered as she looked at her men, mentally calculating how much of a chance they stood against the super villain.

Shego snorted and turned around to look at the guards again, making sure that they didn't step out of line. "My life's all about being at the wrong place at the wrong time," she said dryly. "So, are you going to take a walk with us?"

Dr. Hewitt slowly regained her calm, but Kim could feel her body remaining tense. "Of course," she said simply. "We're close."

She nodded at the guards who looked at each other uncomfortably and then at Shego who grinned and motioned them to go ahead. "You guys lead, we'll follow."

She went to stand behind Kim, resting her hand lightly on the teenager's shoulder as she moved past her. "Do you have her or should I take over?"

Instead of relieved, her offer made Kim angry suddenly as she pushed the doctor forward after the walking soldiers.

"I can handle this," she said. "Don't worry."

She wasn't sure whether the sound Shego made in the back of her throat was one of encouragement or disagreement. None the less, the villainess didn't say anything as she flanked her, keeping her eyes on the guards in front.

Trying to imagine how 'Taking a Hostage' was going to look on her hero resume, Kim pushed Dr. Hewitt to walk faster, wanting to reach her mother's cell before more guards got there and they use her against them if the guards had managed to send out a distress signal.

Sure enough, when they turned the corner, Kim heard her mother's voice of protest.

"I'm not going anywhere with you." She shouted.

Without thinking, Kim let go of Dr. Hewitt and ran forward, knocking out the two guards that had been walking in front of her with a well aimed punch and kick.

"Leave her alone!" She heard an unfamiliar man's voice as she saw two guards standing by one of the doors. Another was pushing her mother out of the room, who was protesting wildly, and she reasoned that there must be another in the room holding whoever had spoken back. She hoped that she'd be able to surprise the guards but when her mother saw her, her wild eyes widened as she cried out in surprise.

"Kimmie!"

The guards turned towards her just as she reached them. With her heart pounding in her chest Kim ducked the first swipe the man took at her and round house kicked him in the abdomen. He grunted and staggered back but his companion was already upon her. Wrenching the tumbling man's stun lance from his hands, she parried his companion's attack. They exchanged three blows before Kim saw an opening. She set the lance to full power, shoved it into his chest, and sent him reeling backwards. She was just about to turn towards her mom when a movement caught her eye. She turned around just in time to see a flash of Shego's liquid green fire knock the first man she had kicked away from her.

_He almost got me..._ she thought shocked and looked at Shego who was coming down the corridor, pulling a struggling Dr. Hewitt after her. The villainess' face was furious, but Kim didn't have time to deal with her now. Readying her stun lance again, she stepped into the room where the guard had dragged her mother and was using her as a human shield. There was another guard in the room, but he was grappling with a civilian dressed in gray slacks.

_Adrian Stewart_, Kim thought as she focused on the man holding her mother.

"Let her go," she snapped. "Now."

The man glanced at her and chuckled, tightening his grip on her mother's throat. Her mother was very pale, dry blood staining her shirt collar. The sight of it brought forth the rage that Kim had been building up ever since her disappearance and she stepped forward, threateningly.

"Didn't you hear me?" She snapped. "I said let her go!"

"You are in no position to bargain," the guard said. "I have the upper hand. It would be best if _you_ put your weapon down."

Kim growled at him and pointed the lance at him threateningly. "Don't state the obvious unless you know it for a fact," she growled. "Shego!"

The villainess stormed into the cell on cue, though she ignored the guard and rounded on Kim.

"Do you not have a scrap of sense in your head?" she snapped. "You can't just run off and let our only hostage go! Are you crazy?"

Kim blinked at her then at the guard who was holding her mother. "Shego I..." She started but the super villain wasn't finished.

"Don't you _I_ me," Shego said and turned her sharp gaze on the guard. _"You_ have a problem in your hands and I suggest you get rid of it."

The guard looked from her to Dr. Hewitt who was still trying to struggle out of Shego's iron grip.

"Don't reason with them," the doctor snapped. "Reinforcements should be here at any second."

The guard's mouth thinned as he glanced at his mate who was still grappling with Adrian. The guard had the upper hand, having wrapped his arms around Adrian from behind. Shego noticed them for the first time as well and her eyes narrowed but she turned her gaze back on Dr. Possible.

"Let her go," she repeated Kim's words, much to Kim's elation.

The guards sneered at them. "I'll trade you: Dr. Hewitt for Dr. Possible."

For a moment the deal sounded good to Kim, but then she realized that if they gave up the CMO they would give away their leverage.

"No deal," she said before Shego could say anything. "Just give me my mother and we'll let you walk away un-crippled."

The guard glanced at his cohort who had now subdued Dr. Stewart and this was the lapse that Shego had been waiting for. She fired up her hand quickly and launched a ball of green fire at him. He panicked and ducked, letting go of Adrian who fell to the ground. The doctor scrambled away from his captor and to Shego who shoved Dr. Hewitt into his arms.

"Hold her," she growled and then ignited both her hands. Kim grinned at her and then at the guard who was starting to look worried. "So, tell me," she said sweetly. "Are you going to play nicely?"

The guard hesitated for a second longer, shooting a glance at his mate before he sighed and, giving Shego's hands a cautious look, let Dr. Possible go.

Ann stumbled towards her daughter with an exclaimed, "Kimmie!" and Kim, unable to help herself, launched herself at her mother and hugged her as tightly as she could without letting go of her stun lance.

Behind her, Shego made a clicking sound with her tongue to get their attention. "Come on," she said. "We don't have a lot of time."

Pulling away from her mother, Kim angrily rubbed at her tears of relief and pulled her mother towards the door.

"Come on, Mom," she said as her mother began to shake. "Let's go. Dr. Stewart, are you alright?" The man nodded tensely, having managed to get Dr. Hewitt in a secure grip. "Is there a Sandra Johnston here?"

Her mother surprised her by making a growling sound. "Yes," she said. "But, she betrayed us. She was 'kidnapped' to spy on us."

Kim frowned for an explanation, listening to Shego as she demanded the guard's radios and weapon. She looked at the blood on her mother's collar and briefly reached up to touch the space where it had trailed down her neck from her head.

"What happened here?" She asked. "Keep one of the radios Shego, that way we can listen to where they are and what they know."

"Smart thinking," The villainess commented as she snatched up a radio. "Come on."

Dr. Possible didn't say where the blood came from as they exited the room, but Adrian, dragging Dr. Hewitt after them with perhaps more force than was necessary, very quickly supplied them with details.

"We almost escaped," he said. "Your mother managed to get her hands on Mr. Monsieur or whatever his name is when we were about to do the surgery. At time we thought that Sandra was still one of us. Your mother had her back turned towards her and was just making her demands, when Sandra hit her from behind. The guards overpowered me and dragged us back to this room."

"Surgery?" Shego queried when they were all back in the hallway, locking the door behind them. She glanced at Dr. Possible who was still holding onto Kim, her face pale as she closed her eyes and rested it on her daughter's head to take a few deep breaths.

"They wanted you mother to do a lobotomy on Mr. Du Pont's son," Adrian supplied the answer, speaking quickly. "This was to make his personality fiercer. Your mother felt that Mr. Du Pont was doing it because his son reminded him of the boy's mother. She made him so angry... Ann, are you alright?"

Dr. Possible swallowed and nodded, straightening up so that she didn't lean on her daughter so much.

"Yes," she said tightly and looked at Shego, her face blank as she turned to her daughter. "Where's Ron?"

Kim bit her lip and found herself blushing before she looked away and glanced at Shego. "Ah... he's not here." She said, stumbling over her words. "Shego..." She glanced at the villainess for help but she only raised her perfectly shaped eyebrow. "Helped."

When Dr. Possible frowned at Shego, the young woman nodded briefly, her face softening. "We have to get going, there's no telling how much backup they'll bring. I think it's about time that they figured out that we can easily overpower most of what they throw at us." She sniffed. "If staying with Drakken has taught me anything, it's if the first ray of doom doesn't work, build a bigger one." When Adrian frowned at her she shrugged. "That's translated as 'send in more men.' Come on, bring her."

She pointed at the glaring Dr. Hewitt who pulled against Dr. Stewart's grip.

"I can honestly not see what all the fuss is about," she said mildly. "You are all acting very unreasonable..." There was a loud crack of flesh against flesh as Dr. Possible surprised them all by punching the woman in the face.

"MOM!" Kim exclaimed and pulled her away from the stunned doctor. "Why?"

Shaking like a leaf, but with her eyes blazing angrily, Dr. Possible looked at her daughter and rubbed her brow. "I've been meaning to do that ever since we came here," she said angrily. "This woman dares to call herself a doctor but she's no better than..." She trailed off, swallowing suddenly. She would've toppled if Shego had not moved quickly and caught her. Kim watched with a sick pit of worry in her stomach as her mother dry retched as she clung to the villainess. To Ann's surprise, Shego patiently waited for her to stand on her own accord before gently pulling her arm over her shoulder so that she could support her.

"Let's go," the villainess said quietly. "We've stalled long enough."

She started pulling Dr. Possible forward, with Kim and Dr. Stewart in tow. Kim quickly moved to the head of the group to make sure that no one came at them from in front. She turned back to Shego and motioned ahead of them. "How far is it to the tunnel?" she queried suddenly. "I saw a helipad with a helicopter parked on it, won't it be quicker heading there?"

Shego made a sound close to a growl. "I'm not leaving my jet behind," she said. "Drakken won't sponsor me a new one."

From behind them Dr. Hewitt pulled in Adrian's grip. "I can assure you, Mr. Du Pont's men would have found it by now," she pointed out. "He's a reasonable man, I'm sure if you talk to him..." She trailed off as Doctor Possible stumbled and Shego gave her the evil eye.

"Cupcake, three words: shut your mouth. Come on Doc," Shego said. "I'll let you slap her around some more later, but we've got to go now."

Kim's mom shook her head and soughed out her daughter, her eyes wide suddenly.

"It's not that," she said tensely. "I just remembered. Jeremy."

Kim frowned at her mother and looked at Adrian. "Jeremy?" She queried.

"Yes," Dr. Possible said tensely. "Mr. Du Pont's son, we can't leave him behind!"

"Ann! No!" Adrian said quickly. "Please, let's just leave."

Dr. Possible turned around to speak to him but Shego pulled her forward. "We can talk about this later," she said. "Let's get moving."

"No!" Dr. Possible said again and pulled away from Shego. "We have to take the boy."

Shego looked ready to answer but Kim stepped forward quickly. "Mom we can't!" she said quickly and touched her mother's arm. "We have to get moving."

Dr. Possible shook her head stubbornly but quickly pressed her hand against her temple, the action clearly making her dizzy. "We can hold until back up comes," she said stubbornly. "Please girls."

There was a shout from the furthest end of the corridor as four guards spotted them and started running their way. Shego gave Kim a look and ignited her hands.

"Get her moving," she growled. "I'll deal with them."

Kim looked after Shego, feeling a flash of concern for the older woman, before she looked at her mother.

"Mom," she said tensely, gripping her stun lance tightly. "Mom, there's no back up coming. It's just me and Shego here, that's why it's so important that we get out of here as quickly as possible. We can't fight this whole facility."

Her mother, who was also looking at Shego as she engaged the soldiers with a laugh of pure evil delight, turned to her bewildered. "Where's Global Justice?" she demanded.

Kim took a deep breath but realized suddenly that two more guards had come from a door in the corridor and was about to flank Shego.

"Mom, we can't," she said tensely. "I've got to go help Shego."

She ran before she heard her mother's reply, reaching the guards and catching them by surprise and quickly dealing with them as Shego dealt with the other. She was concerned when she heard Shego cough as the last one fell and clutch her chest.

"Are you alright?" she queried quickly.

Shego grimaced and she clutched her middle. "Son of a bitch got me in the chest," she said. "I'm fine. Where the fuck is your mother going?"

Kim looked back surprised to see her mother head the other direction. "Mom!" She yelled and quickly ran back, passing a surprised Adrian in the process. "Mom! Where are you going?"

She demanded as she reached her mother and yanked her back, causing the older woman to stumble. Kim dropped her lance and eased her mother to the floor. She was very disturbed to see her mother crying.

"Get up mom," she begged as she pulled at the woman's arms. "Please, we've got to go."

Dr. Possible shook her head stubbornly and rubbed at her eyes. "I can't leave him Kimmie," she said tightly. "He needs help. He needs to get out of here just as much as we do. They made me write out and plan what I was supposed to do. They can do it to him even if I go and then... Then my refusal would've been for nothing and I'd have his blood on my hands." She looked up at her daughter. "I can't live with that. I can't." Kim managed to pull her mother up and half dragged, half carried her back to the rest of the group. She didn't know what to say to her mother's plea, sensing her desperation to save the boy but also feeling her own to get her mother out of harm's way. She swallowed and gave her mother to Shego.

"Shego, can you get them to the jet?"

The villainess's eyes snapped to hers. "No," she said shortly. "Not on my own."

Kim swallowed and looked at her mother's pale face before she turned to Adrian. "Shego, give her to me," she said. "Take one of the stun lances from the guards that we knocked out."

Shego's eyes narrowed. "What the fuck are you doing Possible?" she growled.

Kim sniffed and stepped back. "I'll get the boy," she said. "I'll get her to show me the way. I have your watch so blow us a hole in the wall or roof and pick us up when I have him."

For a split second, Shego's unexpected fear pulsed around them. "Fuck no," she said. "You are not going after him Kim! Not on your own. Not now. We are getting the hell out of here. My part of the deal is done!"

Kim nodded, her heart thundering in her chest. "I know," she said. "I asked you to help me get my mother out. Go. Do it. I'll get the boy. You don't even have to pick me up. I'll figure something out and..."

They heard people coming their way, though they were still out of sight.

Shego growled something, yanked open the nearest storage closet and practically threw all of them inside. Adrian had the sense to pull Dr. Hewitt to the furthest corner and put his hand over her mouth as Shego closed the door behind them and rounded on Kim.

"You are not going after the boy." She growled as she gripped the front of Kim's attire. "And that's final."

_To Be Continued..._

_AN: Back again! Sorry for the long delay on this chapter, my Beta and I had a bit of a miscommunication which resulted in this lying in his inbox for sometime (and me thinking that he was too busy to get to it and not wanting to push him). I'd firstly just like to thank TenchiiKnight again for his wonderful work. I really appreciate it. _

_Now, you have probably all noticed that this is a redo of the previous chapter. I had struggled writing Chapter 19 and at some point that fundamentally, my previous chapter had been flawed and I couldn't continue with it. After much agonizing (and consulting with noncynic (thanks)) I decided to redo this. I'm more pleased with this chapter than the previous one and look forward to getting into the other. If you want to know more about why I did it, you can go to a blog post of mine through my profile. You can also find the original chapter there. Feel free to leave a comment if you want to tell me about your thoughts on this chapter but fanfictiondotnet refuses to allow you to review because you reviewed the previous chapter._


	19. Scattering Consequences

**Chapter 19: Scattering Consequences. **

"You are not going after the boy," Shego said as she leaned forward, gripping the front of Kim's clothes. "And that's final."

The space in the closet seemed to become less as Shego pressed against the teen hero, her face dangerously close to the young woman. Through a haze of pain and dreaded clarity, Dr. Ann Possible watched as Kim carefully reached up and touched Shego's wrists as she tried to encourage the woman to let go of her. She didn't say anything immediately, but looked up at the slightly taller super villain and sighed, her green eyes meeting the green fire that waited behind Shego's.

"I've got to Shego," she said. "He needs my help.

The villainess growled and brought her face close to Kim's. "Trust me when I say this Princess," she snarled in a low voice. "There are a lot of people out there in the world who needs help. You cannot get to all of them, you cannot get to the boy safely, you are going to come with us. This boy was not a part of the deal!"

Kim swallowed and carefully reached up and lay her hand on Shego's chest, pressing back gently to encourage the woman to give her some space but not hard enough to hurt her. "To me it's not about what's a part of the deal," she said sadly. "It's about doing what's right, Shego."

Shego wasn't discouraged, Kim's words only making her angrier. "This isn't about what's right! I have told you Kim, you are not a hero here!"

"I am!" Kim said suddenly, her anger quick and fuelled by desperation. "I am, Shego, I never stopped being one even though I chose to do the wrong thing, even though I made the _ethical_ mistake of contacting you. Let me go get him Shego, I don't want my mother as broken as I am. Please."

Her words clearly shocked Shego, who took a step back and abruptly let go of her hold on Kim. "This was a mistake?" she queried softly, her eyes searching the teen hero's.

Kim blinked at the pain in Shego's eyes, but was overwhelmingly aware of everybody's gazes on them. "In a way yes," she said slowly, "doing this the way that I did was a mistake. I admit to that, but then you know as well as I do that I made a mistake the moment I followed you in the parking lot. But this..." She carefully reached out and took Shego's hand, squeezing it gently, hoping to convey her meaning over to the older woman without showing her mother too much emotion, "this wasn't a mistake, Shego. The trust and friendship..." She grimaced and let go of Shego's hand. "But, I have to walk out of here with some scrap of my identity still intact. And, I have to protect my mother from becoming like us. I have to go and get the boy."

Shego looked at her for what felt like an age, even though it couldn't have been more than a minute, her face a picture of anger and pain. Grimacing, the villainess reached up as if to touch Kim's cheek but abruptly let her hand drop and turned to look at Dr. Hewitt who was looking at their exchange as if it was an amusing spectacle.

"You can't take her," she said slowly. "She's going to slow you down and will most probably not give you the right directions. And, if I get cornered with these two civilians, I need some leverage." She looked up, noticing a vent in the closet. With a grimace she slowly handed her GPS to a silent Kim. "Take this and get that man," she nodded in Adrian's direction, "to show you where the main medical facility is. I'm sure you can use the vents to get there and avoid the guards."

Kim took the GPS and looked at Shego who had her back turned towards her once again. "Shego, I..." She started slowly, wanting to thank her, but the villainess turned around sharply and held up her hand to silence her.

"Don't ask anything of me ever again," she said icily. "We're even now, Kim Possible. You can clearly make your own decisions. I gave you the radio, use it when you're with this Jeremy and I'll see what I can do to get you two out. If I can't, I'm going to take your mother back and drop her somewhere where Global Justice can find her."

Kim swallowed sudden tears and reached out to touch Shego's arm. "Thank you Shego," she said softly, not looking at her mother who had started crying softly. Or Dr. Hewitt who had a strange look of delight in her eyes even as Adrian Stewart almost smothered her in an attempt to keep her mouth closed and her silent.

The villainess closed her eyes at Kim's touch and let out a slow breath, carefully reaching out to lay a hand on Kim's. "Don't thank me," she said sadly. "I'm no hero, Kim, and you can't turn me into one. Remember that."

Wishing that she could kiss her or even just hug her, Kim nodded slowly and turned to her mother. "I'll get him Mom," she said gently and moved past Shego so that she could embrace Ann. "Don't worry."

Dr. Possible blinked tears and folded her arms around her daughter, holding her close. "Please Kim," she said. "I didn't mean for you to go on your own."

Kim let out a slow breath and tried to smile as she said lightly. "Come on Mom, I do this sort of thing all the time. It's so not the drama." She took a steadying breath and looked at Adrian then at Dr. Hewitt. She moved closer to them and knelt down so that she could be on eye level with the gagged woman.

"I can ask Dr. Stewart for the location," she said. "But I know your information will be more accurate." She held the GPS out to the CMO. "So, let's play a game of show and tell. You tell me where it is and I won't show you how much damage I can really do if I set my mind to it..."

888

"Tell me again, Mr. Forlan, how it is possible that nobody saw these people enter the facility?" Mr. Du Pont didn't look away from his son's sleeping features, but his guard could feel his disapproval vibrate through the sterile room.

"We suspect that someone must've dropped them off on an area of the island that's not as well monitored as this facility," the guard said as he shifted his weight from one foot to the other, running his hand through his dark hair before putting his hat back on his head. "We haven't found their point of entry yet."

The old man shifted - the scraping of his chair loud in comparison to the steady beat of the monitors connected to his son. "And the storage closet they came through?"

Forlan grimaced. "Leads to a maze of tunnels. They could've come from any direction."

Mr. Du Pont stood up sharply and banged his cane on the floor. "Then I want you to check all of them! Is the door guarded?"

The guard nodded. "Yes sir," he said. "I've posted two guards there."

Mr. Du Pont looked at him for a minute and then sighed, rubbing his brow in a show of frustration. "Have you not observed that two won't be enough?" he said. "Do you not understand who is here helping the teen hero?"

When the man didn't reply, Mr. Du Pont glared at him and glanced down at his son. "I have to go make a phone call," he said. "Do not leave Jeremy's side and keep me posted on any of the information that you get. And for god's sake, get more people at that entrance."

Mr. Forlan saluted Mr. Du Pont as he left the hospital room and let out a visible sigh of relief when the man was gone. He reached for his radio as he looked at the boy and would later wish that he had taken the opportunity to look up...

888

Having dropped down from the ventilation shaft, Kim quickly pulled the unconscious guard under her away from the view of the door and carefully pushed the door closed. Then, taking a deep breath to steady herself, she picked up her stun-lance where she had dropped it and went to have a look at the boy in the bed. She had thought that he was asleep but to her surprise he stared at her wide eyed. His head was completely shaven with a large dressing on it and there was a terrible haunted expression in his eyes as he regarded her. When she took a step closer to the bed he shifted and said in a heavily accented accent:

"Stop. Please."

Kim blinked and glanced at the door to make sure that nobody was coming yet. "Don't be afraid," she said quickly. "I'm not going to hurt you."

The young man frowned puzzled and gripped the blanket with white knuckled fists. "I might hurt you," he said slowly.

He looked so vulnerable when he said that that Kim had to laugh. "I doubt," she said. "Now, we have to hurry, my mother..."

Jeremy's eyes narrowed. "Has changed me," he said, still speaking very slowly. "I am not who I was..." He cut off when Kim laughed again and spontaneously stepped closer, and hugged him.

"Trust me," she said as he squirmed in her grip. "If my mother had messed with your brain you would've known. She didn't do the surgery." The relief that she felt coursing through the young man's body was undeniable as he said something in a foreign tongue and almost sagged in her grip. "Come on," Kim said and stepped away from him. "We have to go, I'm getting you out of here so that they don't get a second chance to try this surgery."

Jeremy rubbed his thin hand over his face, feeling the dressing that was on his scalp. "I thought..." he started. "I felt... My head... hurts."

Kim shook her head and pulled his arm closer so that she could take out the IV, feeling giddy with haste. "Probably from the anaesthetic," she said. "Can you walk?"

The young man shifted uncomfortably and glanced beside the bed. "It might be a problem." When Kim followed his gaze she realized that there was a catheter bag hanging beside it. Grimacing, she shook her head and finished up with the IV, pressing down on the tiny puncture wound.

"We'll get around that, I can just call up mother and she'll tell me how to remove it..." Unable to help herself, she realized that her face was slowly going bright red with awkward embarrassment. "Err... I'm quickly going to see if there are some clothes for you here, otherwise we'll give you the security guard's." She hunched down and opened the cupboard next to the bed. "Are you dizzy at all?"

Jeremy responded to her question by throwing half of his blanket over her at the same time Kim heard the door open and close. "Dr. Johnston," he said, his tone neutral. Kim immediately paused what she was doing and held her breath, peeking round the blanket to see a pair of surgical pants and feet come towards them, remembering what Adrian Stewart had said about Sandra Johnston.

"I told you," the woman sounded tired and grumpy. "I am not a doctor Jeremy, just a nurse. Your father said you were still asleep, I came to see if you're alright because..." There was a pause. Kim bit her lip and glanced at the still unconscious guard that she had propped up against the one wall. "What's going on here?"

Sandra Johnston marched over to the unconscious guard and first tapped his leg with her foot to try and rouse him. Kim reacted quickly and grabbed the stun-lance she had brought with her. Her first instinct was just to knock the woman unconscious but in a heartbeat she realized that the nurse could help her with Jeremy. So, instead of knocking her out, she activated the stun-lance and held it inches from her head.

"Don't move," she hissed as the woman stiffened at the sound. "Get up and turn around slowly."

Sandra hissed softly and twisted her head so that she could look behind her. As she saw who it was, her eyes narrowed ever so slightly. "Oh please," she said softly. "Don't hurt me."

Kim immediately realized that the woman's heart wasn't in the plea and it served as sufficient warning to her when the woman leapt up suddenly and tried to kick the stun-lance out of her grip.

"Oh no you don't!" Kim snapped and swept the woman's legs out from underneath her and again swung the stun-lance into the woman's face as she crashed into the ground over the unconscious guard. "You can't fool the Possibles twice in the same day. Settle down, Sandra, or so help me I'll even the score between you and my mother." The woman had been ready to leap up again but at Kim's threat she lay back and stared up at the teenager, her face clearly showing her fury.

"So you've come," she said in a low voice and glanced toward the door, clearly angry that she had closed it behind her. "Your mother was right, if a bit off with her timing."

Kim couldn't help but instinctively feel a wave of dislike towards the woman. "I got delayed," she said. "Get up slowly and don't try anything."

Sandra's lips thinned as she once again looked at the door. None the less, she slowly pushed herself up and gave Kim a murderous look. "I'm of no value as a hostage," she sneered. "And between you and me, you are in a very bad place right now."

Kim snorted and motioned Sandra to move over to the bed. "Don't kid yourself," she said. "I don't want you as a hostage; I need you as a nurse."

The woman snorted and slowly moved past Kim towards Jeremy who was looking at them with wide eyes. "How so?" she queried. "Does your mom need stitches?"

Kim had to grind her teeth to keep herself from losing her temper. "Careful that I don't give you any," she growled. "Just take that damned catheter out of the boy. And help me get him dressed."

This time Sandra turned to her with real surprise. "Are you taking _him_ as a hostage?" she queried.

"No," Kim said shortly. "He's coming with us for his own protection."

Sandra snorted and looked at Jeremy again. "You shouldn't get involved," she said. "Trust me – that's what got your mother into trouble in the first place."

Kim snorted and turned off the stun-lance so that she could press the end into Sandra's shoulder blades to remind her who had the upper hand. The moment she did that though, Sandra swung around and grabbed the lance. Moving quicker than Kim anticipated, she turned and flipped Kim over her shoulder, flinging her into the side of the bed.

Kim grunted in pain as she fell onto the floor in a bruised heap but quickly got up, cursing as she did so. Rolling away from Sandra, she scrambled towards the downed guard, who was starting to show signs of coming to, and grabbed his baton, just in time to use it to parry another blow from Sandra.

"You're no ordinary nurse," she snapped as the woman came at her again.

Sandra chuckled softly as Kim had to roll to escape another blow from her. "I have my third dan in karate," she said calmly as Kim managed to get to her feet and throw the baton at her head. Sandra deflected the object, but when she did so, Kim took the opening and dove into her midriff and wrestled the stun-lance from her grip.

"And I'm a cheerleader," she snapped as she managed to obtain the weapon and leap up. "So fucking what? Get up and get that thing out of him before I take your fucking head off!"

The nurse touched her bottom lip with her tongue where Kim had managed to hit her and slowly pushed herself up, her body language a bit more cautious.

"Okay," she said and moved to the bed. "Alright."

Kim followed her closely, the stun-lance trained at her head where she knew it would be the most painful if it touched her. She found herself wishing that Ron, and not Shego, was there to cover her back, feeling more confident that her best friend would keep her own best interests at heart.

_How am I going to do this_? She thought as she watched Sandra remove the offensive apparatus, her own doubt almost drowning her. _How will I get both him and myself out of here in one piece?_

888

It took a lot of paging through his notes to find what he was looking for. Mr. Du Pont made a pleased sound as he underlined the number he had just found and went to his videophone. He had always been looking for an excuse to dial this number and this seemed as good a reason as any.

The person he was trying to contact took a very long time to answer and when the video finally sparked to life, there was nobody on the other side.

Mr. Du Pont frowned as he peered around the apparently deserted room then blinked in surprise as a blue head popped up and glared at him.

"Who the hell are you?" the man demanded, his arms filled with paperwork he must've dropped when he answered the phone.

Mr. Du Pont sat back and cleared his throat. "Is this the layer of Dr. Drakken?" he queried carefully.

The man glared at him and with an almost inaudible grumble, put his papers back down on the floor and sat down.

"Yes," he said scornfully. "Do I know you?"

"No," Mr. Du Pont said, "But you might've heard of me, I am William Du Pont." He was surprised when Dr. Drakken raised his dark eyebrow and shook his head.

"No," he said dryly. "Should I have?"

The older man hesitated and frowned. "Ah, yes," he said. "I am an... investor in the criminal community."

Again, Drakken raised an eyebrow and sat back, his face unreadable. "Have you ever invested into any of my projects or plan to in the near future?" he queried to which Du Pont shook his head.

"No but..."

"Do you want me to do anything for you?" Dr. Drakken's response was quick, interrupting his sentence.

"Well, ah – no." Du Pont tried again. "But..."

"Have I ever stolen anything from you?"

"Well, no but..."

"Do you have anything I would like to steal?"

"Most certainly not I..."

"Have nothing then to offer me at this point in time Mr. Du Pont," Dr. Drakken said as he stood up abruptly and picked up his paperwork. "I am sorry, but I am a busy man, planning world domination and all. Call back in a week or two, my sidekick should be back by then and will be more than happy to handle any of your queries."

Stilling his irritation, Mr. Du Pont sat back and clasped his hands together.

"Your sidekick is with me, Dr. Drakken," he said coolly before the man could shut down the link. The mad scientist's response was immediately as he whirled around, once again dropping his papers. There was a wild and dangerous combination of anger and fear in his gaze as he glared at the screen.

"What have you done with her?" he said, his voice threateningly low.

Taken aback by the man's hostility, Du Pont quickly raised his hands and shook his head. "I have done nothing to her," he said. "But she is doing a lot of damage to my staff. What is your sidekick doing in my facility?"

Clearly surprised by the news, but not too bothered, Drakken shrugged and looked mournfully at his papers. "Shego is on holiday at the moment," he said. "She was very ill a couple of weeks ago and I thought it good to give her some downtime. Whatever she's doing in that time is of no concern to me."

Mr. Du Pont's eyes narrowed as he leaned closer to the screen. "So you're not concerned that she's helping your arch-enemy Kim Possible retrieve her mother?"

Drakken blinked at him and then blinked again as he sat back in surprise. Du Pont watched his face closely as it became blank.

"As I've said before," the super villain said dryly. "Whatever she does in her own time is none of my concern. Are you sure it's my sidekick?"

Du Pont snorted and shook his head. "Positive," he said. "Trust me Dr. Drakken, there isn't another person in this world who can wield her powers. I do not appreciate her invading my facility in this manner."

Dr. Drakken snorted and shrugged, his interest seemingly disappearing. "Don't be too sure of the former," he said dryly and hunched down to gather his papers once again. "And between you and me, I can't see Kim Possible appreciating you entertaining her mother at your facility. Now, is there anything else I can help you with? I am a very busy man you know."

Letting out an exasperated breath, not sure if he should be irritated or amused, Du Pont shook his head. "I want you to call your sidekick to heel!" he said. "My men are not prepared for this!"

To his disgust, Drakken actually laughed and leaned forward, his dark gaze focused on Du Pont.

"Then you shouldn't have entered this game in the first place Mr. Du Pont," he said. "My sidekick and I have a very good working relationship and part of that comes from the fact that I give her the space to do what she feels she must do in her personal time. Whether that is to lie in the sun al day or break into your facility for whatever reason crosses her mind."

Du Pont glared at Drakken. "And it doesn't bother you that she's helping your arch-enemy?" he queried to which Drakken shrugged.

"That's between me and her," he said simply. "Now, if you don't have anything else that you urgently need to discuss with me, I'm going to sign off." He paused and, when Du Pont didn't say anything else, he smiled dryly and nodded in the older man's direction. "Good bye then Mr. Du Pont and good luck."

The screen went blank without Drakken waiting for another reply, leaving Mr. Du Pont staring at his own reflection with a look of pure anger on his face. Grabbing his cane, he pushed himself up and stormed out of the room, back to his son.

888

Without Kim leading the way, it was considerably harder getting the group back to the jet, but somehow, someway, Shego managed to get all three of the medical doctors safely to her jet. She all but collapsed when she ascended up the ramp but when Dr. Possible tried to touch her she waved the woman on.

"Just get in," she snapped as she pointed at Adrian Stewart who was still holding onto Dr. Hewitt. "There's a tiny storage closet to my left, shove her in there and barricade the door. I've had enough of her."

The young doctor nodded tensely and with Dr. Possible's help, bundled Caroline into the closet Shego had pointed out. "Are you going to hand her over to the police?" he queried as he rubbed his brow. From inside the closet they heard Dr. Hewitt kick the sides.

"You can't keep me in here! Let me out and leave me!" she yelled but her plea fell on deaf ears.

Shego chuckled softly and pushed herself up, unbuckling her climbing gear as she did so. "I'm going to see how much she's worth," she said. "And sell her to the highest fucking bidder. Be it Du Pont, Dementor or bloody Dr. Zhivago."

Coughing, she moved to the front of the plane, and closed the ramp as she did so.

Dr. Possible followed closely behind her, keeping her hand against the sides of the jet to steady herself. She had tried to climb down the cliff face on her own power but had been overcome by vertigo and had to be lowered down by Shego.

"What about my daughter?" she asked as Shego sank down in the pilot's seat and started switching on the console. "She's still in there."

Shego snorted and looked at the radar that flared to life on her screen. "You were there when we discussed this venture," she said. "I'm going to wait for her to contact me before I act. This tells me that there are a lot of people out on the cliffs at the moment looking for us, I don't want to give away our position until I'm good and ready to. We stay put until she calls."

Ann bit her lip and slipped into the seat next to Shego despite the murderous look the villainess send her way.

"And what if she doesn't call?" she insisted.

Shego snorted. "Then I take you to the closest point where Global Justice can pick you up and I go back home," she turned around and pointed a finger in Adrian's direction. "Two's company, three's a crowd. You are not welcome in here and I have to be honest Dr. Possible, neither are you."

Ann crossed her arms stubbornly, daring Shego to tell her to leave but the villainess fixed her attention on the radar. A tense silence entered the cockpit until Ann spoke up again.

"You have to go and get her."

Shego looked as if she wanted to comment but decided against it and rather looked at more of her instruments. Ann leaned forward to touch her but Adrian quickly stopped her with a quick hand on her shoulder.

"How is it possible that they can't find us?" he queried. "I mean, I know they have helicopters, what if they do a flyby?"

Shego sniffed looked out of the window, away from them. Rubbing her hands on her thighs, she turned her attention back to the monitor. "I have the latest cloaking technology on this," she said quietly. "I'd be very surprised if they find us. The cliffs help." She pressed her lips together and looked at her wrist where she kept the tiny radio.

Ann kept watching her, Adrian's steady hand on her shoulder keeping her from commenting. Again, the only sound in the room was the rhythmic thumping of Dr. Hewitt on the closet door.

Adrian snorted at some point and chuckled to himself. When Shego looked at him curiously, he shrugged and smiled at her. "Let's see how the bitch likes being locked up," he said with a small smile, rubbing his ears to keep them from seeing his embarrassment. "Sorry Ann."

Ann sighed softly and looked at Shego who wore a small smirk on her face. The villainess glanced at her wrist again before she turned her gaze out of the window. Rubbing her brow against her throbbing headache, Ann leaned back in the chair, fighting an unexpected wave of exhaustion. She considered continuing to pester Shego to go after Kim but realized that the super villain might not take too kindly to it and decide to leave all together.

_Though_, Ann thought as she studied the woman's body language again. _She does seem concerned._ Sitting up a little and then wishing that she didn't move so quickly, Ann glanced at Adrian who was also studying Shego.

"Adrian, why don't you go and make sure that Dr. Hewitt is still secure?" she asked mildly when Shego once again looked at her radio. The man nodded and quickly disappeared from the cockpit. "Shego, are you alright? I can't imagine that you're fully recovered from your last ordeal."

The dark haired woman caught herself before she touched her chest again and nodded tensely. "I'm fine," she said. "Be quiet for a moment... please. I want to listen to something." She drew out the radio that she had confiscated from the guard.

Ann frowned as the sound of two people walking in tense voices filled the cockpit. They were speaking in a foreign tongue but Shego seemed to be able to follow it. Her face grew more and more severe as she listened and Ann knew immediately that something was wrong when she let out a sharp breath and closed her eyes, her mouth tight.

"They have her don't they?" she queried, frightened when visions of her daughter flashed before her eyes.

Shego didn't reply immediately but sat back, bracing herself against the console as she wrestled with herself.

"Yes," she said finally and stood up fluidly. "Yes they do."

888

_To Be Continued..._

_AN: I've always used the 'and' sign to separate my paragraphs but I've noticed that now fanfiction dot net edits them out as well (curse you!). I am aware of the fact that NONE of my paragraphs that I ever wrote is separated at the moment. When I have more time, I'll go to the monstrous task of fixing it. But... I've already archived over 600k words, almost 200k of those in KP. It's gonna take time, please bare with me. _

_Here's more! Hope you enjoyed it. ;) to those who don't know – I've edited chapter 18 and changed it. So, if you read it after the 16__th__ of May you're fine. If how ever you read it before, you'll have to go back. My reason for doing so is in my blog in the category Kim Possible Fan Fiction. Feel free to go there. _

_Thank you to my Beta TenchiiKnight and my friend PixieJenn for betaing this. _

_Alyss_


	20. Crossing

**Chapter 20: Crossing. **

Ann blinked as her world lost focus for a few seconds. Then, fighting against the nauseating pain her in head, she pushed herself up and stormed after the super-villainess, pure force of will keeping her upright.

"Well," she demanded as she reached Shego who had grabbed a clipboard and was hastily ticking off a few things as she looked at some of the back instruments. "What are we going to do?"

Shego didn't look at her as she pushed past to go back to the cockpit. She snapped her fingers at Adrian and motioned to a tiny bench in the back that had seatbelts on it. "Strap yourself in," she said shortly. "We're leaving."

Adrian quickly moved to where the seat was but Ann grabbed Shego by the arm and pulled her back.

"To get my daughter?" she queried.

Shego growled at her and pulled out of her grip. "No," she said shortly. "I told Kim that if she gets caught, she's on her own. I'm getting you two out of here like I said I would."

Ann gaped at her, shocked. "But you can't leave without her!" she exclaimed. "You have to go and get her!"

There was a flash of something in Shego's eyes, a mixture of dismay and anger which seemed to battle inside her. The anger won as she stepped back and shook her head.

"I have other duties," she said. "I told her I'd get you safe, and that is what I'll do. She got herself into this mess..."

Ann shook her head as she blinked tears that she had been fighting all evening. "I got her into this mess!" she exclaimed. "I asked her to go back. Please Shego, please for the love of my daughter, go back and get her. You can leave me here, but please, please go back and save her. She would've done the same for you." When she saw the villainess close her eyes she decided to push a little further. "She already has."

Shego turned her back on her, her shoulders tight with emotion. "I am not like your daughter Dr. Possible. I am not a hero."

The red head grabbed her with a speed and strength that belied her condition and turned her around, her blue eyes locking with hers.

"This is not about being a hero Shego," she snapped. "It's about being a damn human being. When we fought to save your life a couple of weeks ago, I did it with a clear conscious, knowing that even though you were a criminal you were a decent person." She let go of her and closed her eyes, her next words spoken softly. "Please don't prove me wrong."

For a moment, all was silent around her, Dr. Hewitt had stopped trying to break out of the storage cupboard, Adrian remained at the back of the plane and Shego didn't move or reply to her desperate plea. When Ann opened her eyes again the young woman was standing in front of her, crying – her arms wrapped tightly around her chest.

"If I go back for her," she whispered through her tears. "I will lose myself Dr. Possible. Your daughter has changed something in me and..." She trailed off and clenched her jaw tightly.

Ann reached out and grasped her shoulders, seeing it as a good sign that Shego didn't pull away from her.

"Maybe you'll find something," she whispered. "Maybe there is something my daughter can give you."

The pain in Shego's features was unmistakable as she turned around and motioned to Dr. Possible to follow her.

"You'll have to help me in the cockpit," she said. "Please. Adrian – you as well."

888

The report that they had captured Kim Possible hadn't been entirely accurate but it was close.

Kim stared at the newcomers in the room, though she kept her full attention on Sandra Johnston who was now helping Jeremy put on a pair of surgical pants. An old man, whom she recognized from the magazine article as Mr. Du Pont, slowly limped into the room to stand by the second bed which was closest to the door, his sharp eyes fixed on her.

"Dr. Possible's child stealing mine," he murmured as he came closer, leaning heavily on his cane as two guards followed him into the room. "Now that's highly inappropriate."

Kim swallowed and stole a glance at Jeremy who was looking at his father, his face a picture of stark fear. "I'm not stealing him," she said and returned her attention to Sandra who was also looking at Du Pont. "I'm rescuing him."

Mr. Du Pont frowned at her and shook his head. "My dear child, I am his father," he said softly. "He does not need rescuing from me."

Kim snorted and gave Sandra a threatening look when she started to step away from Jeremy. "His current position says otherwise," she said and gave Sandra a sharp look. "Don't you dare take your hands from him, keep them where I can see them."

The nurse raised an eyebrow and glanced at the guards. "Or you'll do what?" she queried. "Mr. Du Pont, why don't you get your guards to call in that we've captured her? I'm sure her accomplice has one of your radios. That should give them something to think about."

Du Pont looked at the Sandra and raised a pleased eyebrow. "Ms. Johnston," he said with a small smile and waved a hand at the one guard in the room. The man immediately took up his radio and started a conversation in a foreign tongue with someone else. "Caroline was right, you truly are an asset to this facility."

The nurse smiled and turned to Kim who narrowed her eyes and tightened her grip on the stun-lance. Her first instinct was to warn the woman to remain where she was but she knew immediately that Sandra wasn't the kind of person who would listen to her. The woman had clearly realized that they had the upper hand and was going to use it. Because she was expecting it, Kim anticipated the lunge that the woman suddenly made in her direction to. She jammed the end of the stun-lance it into Sandra's ribs, its pulse sending the woman reeling backwards into the bed.

As Sandra struggled to regain her feet, Kim stormed the guards who came at her.

"Jeremy!" she yelled as she engaged the two. "Jeremy come on! Come with me!"

The young man looked at her and slipped off of the bed, but he didn't move – instead fixing his father with a desperate look. Mr. Du Pont's mouth thinned as he limped closer and fixed a stern eye on his son.

"So you choose to abandon me," he said in a soft murmur. "You are leaving me. Just like your mother did."

Pale and strangely frail, the boy shook his head as he braced himself against the bed. "No Papa," he said. "No, I... Not like mother. I... Papa..." He switched over his own language. Kim lost track of the conversation as she managed to knock down the two guards who had come in with the old man. As she did, Mr. Du Pont lost his temper at something Jeremy said and swept his cane out, hitting the cabinet beside the other bed, making his son jump.

"If you leave here you will be dead to me!" He snapped in English. "I will not tolerate this defiance."

Kim snorted and stepped up to Jeremy, giving Sandra a good kick as she did so to make sure that she stays down.

"I thought you wanted him to get some backbone." She grabbed Jeremy's hand. "Come on!" At her insistence the young man gave his father one last, desperate look and fell in step next to Kim as she pushed him out of the room. Kim wanted to ask him which way she should take to the nearest exit because she didn't have time to look at Shego's GPS but the decision was made for her when she saw four guards running towards them.

"This way!" She snapped, silently thanking the fact that this facility wasn't as well guarded as some of the other that she had been in. "Come on!"

Jeremy's reactions were delayed and he stumbled when he tried to run but Kim quickly pulled him up and dragged him behind her.

"Come on!" She snapped. "Run run run!"

They ran ahead a couple of yards through the hospital like corridors but they weren't quicker than the group of guards. Kim glanced behind her and realized that she had to deal with them first. Pushing Jeremy ahead of her and motioning to him to carry on running, she turned around and activated the stun-lance again.

She expected some of them to stand back but all the guards came at her at once, having finally gotten the message that she was able to beat them even if she was outnumbered. She barely had time to gather her senses before the first one was on top of her, waving his stun-lance like a madman. She dealt with him quickly but the others weren't as easy. Once again finding herself wishing for back up, Kim fended them off as best she could. When she glanced in the direction that she had seen Jeremy run, she noticed that he was standing at the end of the corridor, his eyes wide as he looked at her fighting his father's guards.

"Jeremy run!" She yelled at him, her lapse in concentration earning her a sharp blow across the back which made her stumble forward, though she quickly caught her balance and spun around to give her attacker a sharp blow against his chest. "I'll catch up!"

The young man looked at her for a second longer before he disappeared from view. Kim readied herself to jump away from the guards when one of them managed to grab her from behind. Kim shouted and tried to slip out of his grip but another guard grabbed her legs and picked her up while another wrestled the stun-lance from her grip.

_Oh no..._ Kim thought, frightened suddenly as she struggled against their grip. "Let me go!" She shouted as they half carried, half dragged her back to the hospital room. "Let me go!" She twisted and turned though, forcing herself to remain calm.

"Bring her here," she heard the chillingly angry voice of Sandra Johnston. "On the bed."

Kim looked in front of her to see Mr. Du Pont stand in the corridor, his hands white as he gripped his cane. Sandra stood beside him, her nose bleeding from one of Kim's blows.

"Shit..." Kim breathed as she saw the woman ready a syringe of something. "Damned..." The guards' grip on her shifted suddenly as they turned to take her into the room. It was what Kim had been waiting for as she twisted sharply and managed to free her legs. As they dropped to the floor, she pushed herself up sharply, against the man holding her, and slammed her head back against his chin. She sometimes wondered whether it hurt her assailants as much as it hurt her when she did this but when he let her go she decided that she didn't care.

"God damn it!" Mr. Du Pont cursed as she managed to squirm out of their grip and half leapt, half crawled away from them. "Get her!"

Cursing, Kim struggled to find her feet and run but she was quickly tackled to the ground and picked up again. This time Kim really panicked as it dawned on her that she was in trouble. She knew Shego and she had seen the determination in the woman's eyes when she told her that she wasn't going to come and rescue her if she got caught. Except for Shego, nobody knew where they were and by the time her mother reached the proper authorities, Mr. Du Pont and his facility would have had enough time to evacuate.

_They can use me against my mother,_ Kim thought suddenly, her heart beating furiously as she tried to struggle against her captors' grip when they carried her back into the room she had rescued Jeremy from. _They can force her to come back... To do the surgery..._

"No!" Kim cried out as the men put her on the bed and restrained her with Sandra coming up beside them, the syringe ready. "No damn it! Let me go! No!"

Louder than her scream, there was a sudden crash of glass as the window shattered in a blast of green fire. Second later Shego swung into the room, letting go of the rope she used and rolling forward, her hands ablaze. When she came to her feet in her liquid grace, she was the most beautiful thing that Kim had ever seen.

"Shego," she breathed in relief as everybody looked at the villainess in shock. The raven haired woman balled her fists and looked at the spectacle, her sharp eyes narrowing as she saw Kim strapped to the bed.

"Kinky, Cupcake," she said. "If I knew this was the kind of fun you'd be having I would've stayed."

"Shego!" Kim snapped but her relief was so overwhelming that she almost cried. At the sound of her voice, Mr. Du Pont growled and waved his cane at Sandra.

"Sedate her!" He snapped. "Quickly! Guards!"

Despite being outnumbered, Shego smiled devilishly and threw a blast of plasma fire at Sandra before she could inject Kim. The woman ducked but had to jump away from the bed when Shego threw a second blast at her. Kim started struggling against her restraints with renewed vigour, knowing that it was only a matter of time before Sandra reached the bed again. Shego moved quickly like a dancer, jumping over Jeremy's old bed and severing her one hand's restraints with a cat like swipe of her clawed gloves. As Shego fought of the guards, Kim quickly untied herself and struggled off of the bed. "I thought you wouldn't come!" She exclaimed as she took up a fallen stun-lance. Shego snorted and shot her a look as she picked up a guard and threw him into another which had just come through the door.

"Your mother is even more irritating than you are," she snapped. "I told you, you were making a mistake!"

Kim snorted. "This is no time for 'I told you so'," she replied. "Where's my mother?"

Shego blast a guard into the wall and glared at Kim. "A thank you would be in order!" she snapped. "She's safe. Where's that bloody old man?"

Kim did a quick headcount of the room but it wasn't for Mr. Du Pont that she was looking for. When she didn't see her immediately, Kim quickly ducked so that she could check underneath the beds as well.

She saw the nurse a second too late.

"No Shego!" She yelled as Sandra plunged the sedative that she would've used on her into the villainess' thigh.

There were a few seconds of shocked confusion as Shego blinked at the nurse who pulled the syringe from her thigh and quickly scrambled in underneath the bed again. When the woman moved Shego growled and grabbed her by the hair, pulling her up and grabbing her around the neck.

"What was that?" She demanded. "What the hell did you just give me?"

Sandra choked an answer but it was Kim who supplied it as she punched one of the guards through the face and ran to the door, trying to lock it so that no more people could come in.

"A sedative," she said, her voice pitched as she envisioned the ramifications that this would have. "One they wanted to give to me."

Shego cursed and stamped her leg before she eased her hold on Sandra's neck before she choked the woman. "It burns!" She snapped. "Damn it..." Seeing that Shego was distracted, Sandra tried to kick out at her, but the villainess moved quickly and threw her to the floor. She jumped onto her and pinned her, her face a mask of fury as the glared at the nurse.

"How much did you give me?" She growled as Kim dealt with the last conscious guard in the room before going back to the door. She had fixed an IV stand underneath the door handle to keep the people from opening it but she knew that it was only a matter of time before they broke through again.

"Normal dose," Sandra hissed. "Intramuscular."

Shego cursed again and looked at Kim who joined them, her face pale. "We have 10 minutes tops before it takes me down," she informed the teenager. "Don't look so shocked, I know my sedatives. It comes in handy when you need to kidnap people."

Kim swallowed and looked at the door. "What can I do?" she said. "What were you planning on doing when you came to my rescue?"

Shego blinked, her grip become less steady on Sandra. The woman saw it and attempted to kick the villainess off of her but when she moved Shego grabbed her forehead, green fire briefly licking over the woman's face. Sandra's eyes rolled back in her head as she lost consciousness.

"We need to find a drug cabinet," Shego said as she pushed herself up, almost losing her balance. "There's a drug... Flumazenil, it works as an antidote." She closed her eyes and swallowed before looking at the unconscious Sandra Johnston. "I shouldn't have knocked her unconscious."

Kim shook her head. "She wouldn't have helped us anyway."

Moving quickly, she went to a cupboard on the wall and opened it, browsing through the various vials she could see inside. When she couldn't find what she was looking for she went to the cabinet beside Jeremy's bed to see if it might be among the medications he had been getting. She came up frustratingly short and turned to Shego just in time to see Shego collapse against the bed.

"Shego!" Kim yelped and rushed to her side, grabbing her under her arms and propping her up against the bed. "Come on Shego, don't leave me now. Focus!"

The woman looked at her, her green eyes glazed. "You have... Beautiful hair." She murmured and reached out to touch Kim's face. The teenager cringed and, on impulse, slapped Shego in the face.

"Focus," she snapped as Shego blinked and became a little bit more coherent. "Shego, what were you planning on doing?"

The villainess struggled with herself and managed to stand up on her own strength again. "Get you, steal a helicopter," she said. "Is there no Flumazenil?"

Kim gave the door a nervous look and shook her head. "No," she said. "I looked everywhere."

Shego blinked at her and then looked at Sandra again. "I shouldn't have..."

Kim refrained from rolling her eyes and pulled Shego towards her. "Knocked her unconscious," she finished the woman's sentence and half carried, half dragged her towards the broken window. "You said. I think... We can still get there Shego. But I'm not very good with flying so you have to remain conscious to help me."

Shego barked a laugh as she sagged against Kim with her whole weight. "Don't... have a choice," she whispered. "Your mother... is safe."

Kim almost snorted. "I'm not worried about her right now," she said and tried to determine whether she could get Shego out of the window. "There seems to be an old fire escape one story down. Maybe we can jump down..." She could feel Shego slipping away as her weight became more leaden. "Shego!"

The woman stood up a little and brought up a shaky hand to touch her chest. "My chest hurts..." She muttered. "I shouldn't have come."

Kim closed her eyes and tried to focus, to formulate a plan in her mind. "Why did you?" she asked distracted, hearing a sharp explosion as the guards tried to enter the room by force.

Shego slipped as her legs gave way, leaving Kim with no choice but to let her sink to the floor. She hunched beside her and cupped her face, forcing her to look at her before she fell asleep.

"Cause I couldn't leave you," Shego said as she faded away. "Not you Kimmie. Not..."

There was another explosion and this time, the door crashed open, admitting a string of guards. Kim looked at them in dismay and straightened up, raising her hands above her head in surrender.

888

Having fled the room when it became clear that the two women were getting the upper hand on his guards, Mr. Du Pont only returned when he was reassured that they were both subdued. He was surprised to see that Drakken's sidekick was unconscious on one of the beds in the room and Sandra Johnston on the other. Kim Possible stood in the one corner, her hands cuffed in front of her as she was supported by two guards. She seemed to sag against them as she watched the sleeping form of Shego but straightened up when she saw him walk into the room, her green eyes dull with defeat.

Du Pont watched her, taking note of how much she looked like her mother. It was unthinkable that a young woman her age could do the things that she did. He considered it to be admirable, but also very, _very_ stupid.

Shaking his head, he walked up to the young woman and looked at her, feeling a pang of sadness.

"If you were my daughter," he said quietly. "I would've been very proud of you."

Kim Possible grimaced and returned her gaze to the young woman on the bed. "You can be proud of your son," she said mechanically, her heart clearly not into the conversation.

Du Pont sighed sadly and shook his head. "My son has done nothing in his life to be proud of," he said and smiled ruefully. "Hence the reason I required your mother, who turned out to be a terrible disappointment."

Kim glared at him and shifted in the two guard's grip. "My mother saved your son's life," she said. "How could you do that to him? How could you want that? You are his father! You are supposed to take care of him!"

The old man snorted and moved to Shego's bed so that he could have a closer look at her. Asleep she seemed to be less than she was, her pale features gaunt. He knew the face of illness and he could tell that she had been either terribly ill or sick for a very long time.

"A child's mother is supposed to take care of him or her," he said slowly and reached out to touch Shego's long dark hair. "The father is supposed to teach and guide. I have tried to guide my son towards a better life, but he has always been so resistant." When his fingers touched Shego's hair, there was a commotion from the corner of the room as Kim tried to lunge forward.

"Don't touch her!" She snapped. "Leave her alone!"

When he turned to look at her, folding both his hands over his cane, she settled back, her face flushed with embarrassment. Nodding towards the bed Du Pont fixed Kim with a prying look.

"Tell me," he said. "Why has _she_ decided to help you?"

Kim's mouth thinned as she looked at Shego again. "Tell me first why you wanted to change your son," she demanded. "A question for a question."

Surprised by her zeal, Du Pont laughed and shook his head. "My dear," he said. "You are in no position to bargain or make any demands. Tell me what she's doing here."

He admired the girl, because she didn't hesitate when she responded. "And you clearly don't know how things are done in the villain world," she said. "You've won Mr. Du Pont; you have captured us and still managed to evade the authorities. Custom dictates that you gloat about your victory. Reveal your plan. It's standard procedure in our world."

Amused, Du Pont stepped closer to her. "And you will then answer my questions?" he queried to which Kim nodded.

"A question for a question," she said. "I ask one and if you answer, you can ask me one. Game?"

Intrigued by the fact that she didn't seem daunted by her capture, Du Pont nodded slowly and motioned out of the door. "Should we move to my office?" he queried. "You can be more comfortable there."

Kim Possible shook her head, her eyes once again resting on the bed. "I'd rather stay here," she said. "Does that count as a question? Can I ask mine now?"

Du Pont snorted and leaned against the bed so that he could take weight off of his bad leg. "Don't get smart," he said. "I will ask the first question, starting now. Why did she help you?"

Kim touched her bottom lip with her tongue and sighed. "I saved her life a couple of weeks ago," she said. "She owed me one. My turn – why did you take my mother?"

Du Pont raised an eyebrow and shrugged. "She is the best," he said. "It had nothing to do with you if that's what you are wondering. Now, does Global Justice know where you are?"

The teenager's hesitation was answer enough to his question but it was interesting to hear what her reply would be. She seemed to debate her response before she sighed defeated and shook her head.

"No," she said. "Unless Shego let them know of our location. Which I doubt she did. Where's Jeremy now?"

Du Pont frowned and shrugged again. "I do not know," he said. "I believe he is hiding somewhere on the island. My men are out there looking for him. Why are you concerned about him?"

For a moment, there was a sad smile on Kim's face. "Because my mother is," she said quietly. "And he doesn't deserve to be put through this. Why is changing him so important that you were willing to risk killing him for the sake of your own will?"

There was a second's hesitation as Du Pont blinked at her phrasing. Then, he frowned slightly and came closer to her. "I knew that your mother wouldn't let him die," he said. "I have confidence in her. Why didn't you tell Global Justice where you are?"

Kim frowned at him and shook her head sharply. "Your reply isn't an answer," she pointed out. "It's an opinion. There could've been a lot of complications which would've resulted in Jeremy's death or permanent disablement. Didn't you think about his well being for even one second when you started this?"

Du Pont glared at her and pointed a threatening finger at her. "I do not like your questions Kim Possible," he said. "Be careful or I might just cease to indulge you."

The young woman set her face in a determined look that only teenagers could manage. "You don't like my questions," she said sharply, "because you don't like the answers. You don't want to think about this, you didn't want to think about your son and his well being. You just considered your own wishes and your own dreams for him. I might not have the world's most perfect parents, but I can tell you now – I think that they are wonderful because they let me be the person I wanted to be. Do you think your son can say the same about you?"

In a moment of anger, Du Pont stepped up to Kim Possible to give her a cuff behind the head to put her back in her place but then, remembering what had happened with her mother, he stepped back and turned around sharply, fully intending to walk out of the room and have her thrown in the smallest storage closet they had in the facility. At the door though, he paused and turned back, feeling rather foolish as he looked at Kim again.

"It's not very good sportsmanship, to retire from a game just when it seems that you are being outplayed," he murmured and came closer to her again. "You are your mother's daughter Kim Possible." He might've been mistaken, but there was a touch of pride in her eyes as she shrugged. "As a reward, you can ask your next question. I will answer it as best I can."

Kim nodded slowly and took a moment or two to consider her words. "What is your next move?" she queried. "What are you going to do with us?"

Du Pont tapped his cane against the floor and gave her a sideways glance. "That is two questions Kim Possible," he pointed out. "But, I shall answer them both. Firstly – I have not yet considered my next course of action, but I can assure you will be the first to know. Secondly, as I am enjoying your company, I see it fit to keep you here for a while. As to her," he nodded at Shego. "I will call up her employer and tell him to name his price. The man did not take me serious enough during our last conversation." When Kim shifted uncomfortably he smiled. "So, tell me – since we're on the subject, tell me – is she important to you Kim Possible?"

It was intriguing to see that the teenager didn't hesitate, but nodded almost immediately, a strange expression on her face. "Despite the fact that she owes me," Kim said slowly. "I still feel that she went above and beyond the call of duty to help me here. I feel it's only fare that I make sure she gets out of this. I would hate for this to hurt her in some way." When she didn't add a question of her own, Du Pont pushed forward, stepping closer to her.

"And I take it that you have learned much from her these past few days?" he queried with a small smile.

Kim sighed, looking sad. "Yes," she said. "Should I tell you what she taught me?"

The man nodded, moving forward eagerly. "That would be enlightening yes," he said.

The young woman was silent for a moment as she looked out of the broken window and then grimaced before she turned her attention back to Du Pont.

"She taught me that sometimes the line between being a villain and being a hero is just a matter of perspective," she said. "She's shown me that villains can do the honourable thing, can do what is right. In sharp contrast to what our supposed allies do. They think that they consider the Greater Good, but in truth it's just about the Greater Profit. She has shown me the gray sides of life. Do you want to know how?"

Eager, Du Pont took a step closer.

"Of course," he said.

Kim looked sad as she first clenched her wrists then spread her hands as far apart as the cuffs allowed. She said something softly, but Du Pont couldn't hear what she said. Instinctively, he moved closer and turned his one ear towards her.

"What did you say?" he queried.

Kim seemed to sigh and then, without warning, moved quicker than his guards could anticipate, managing to break out of their grip and slip her hands over his head so that she could pull him towards her, the chain of her cuffs digging into his neck.

"I said," she growled. "That she has shown me the gray by teaching me that sometimes one has to do everything that one needs to do to get what you want." She pulled against the chain savagely, moving away from the shocked guards so that she could put her back against the wall. "And right now Mr. Du Pont – I want you to wake up Shego and organize us a helicopter..."

888

_To Be Continued..._

_AN: I had some trouble with the beginning of this chapter, but managed to get it into some semblance of order I hope. Again, my apologies for the delay – August and July was one wild ride for me. I have finally, after 13 months of searching managed to procure a job in my field. I start 1 September.  
The goal is still to finish this story by the end of the year, preferably November because I want to do NaNoWriMo. I have started a twitter account for interest, (you can find the link from my profile), if you want to see where I am writing wise, feel free to have a look there – I keep updates as to where I am among my WIP's.  
Hope everybody is well!  
Alyss_

_3-;- _


	21. A Change of Perspective

**Chapter 21: A Change of Perspective.**

In a very strange and calm way, Kim wondered if she had lost her mind as she held Du Pont against her, barely able to restrain herself from strangling him completely.

_This was it,_ she thought as she looked at the guards around them. _This was how it felt to stand in the gray._

She thought back a few weeks ago when she had faced Teryl Adamson in a fight for her life and Shego's. She remembered how exhilarated she had felt when she threw the woman over the railing and then how she realized, seconds later, that she couldn't see her fall to her death. That slip of mercy that she had had then was now burned away by the rage that had been building up inside her since her mother's kidnapping.

_The world didn't play by my rules,_ she thought as she held the squirming man against her. _Why should I play by the world's? Who makes these rules anyway? The just? Justice? Global Justice? It's all a lie._

She had always looked down on Shego because she was a villain's sidekick and had thought her unenlightened and misinformed. Now, she realized Shego was enlightened, having had the vision to see past the justice system she tried to uphold. With her iron personality and unique perspective she saw what Kim couldn't see, that fighting the good fight was an impossible cause because your own people could turn against you. And what wounded Kim's soul the most was the fact that they did it under the name of justice.

In her grip, Du Pont glared at his people, struggling against her hold. "Why are you all just standing there?" he snapped. "Help me!"

Kim pulled her arms back sharply, tightening the hold on his neck – knowing that it was tight enough now to hurt him. "If you come any closer," she hissed at the guards, "I will choke him to death."

A strangled growl came from Du Pont's lips as he strained against her grip. "Don't... foolish." He managed and looked at his guards. "She's... not serious."

Kim responded by kicking him on the leg he clearly favoured. "Aren't I?" she said as he groaned in pain. "How can you tell Mr. Du Pont? Can you take the risk?"

When the man didn't reply, she eased up on her grip on his throat, allowing him a moment or two to breathe.

"You asked why I haven't let Global Justice know about my position," she whispered in his ear. "Well, let me tell you. I don't believe in them anymore Mr. Du Pont. I don't even think I believe in justice anymore, unless it's the kind that you can dispense yourself. And that's not justice, that's just revenge. Though it's far more _satisfying_."

Still the old man didn't reply, but his guards looked at her with the kind of caution that one would associate with watching a rabid dog. Kim jerked the chain into his throat again as she glanced at Shego. She was still out for the count, her face serenely peaceful in sleep but Sandra Johnston was starting to stir.

"I don't think that you heard me the first time," Kim hissed. "I want your people to find the drug that will wake Shego up and I want you to organize us a helicopter."

Du Pont growled as he struggled to keep his footing with his aching leg. "You have my doctor," he growled. "And you knocked out my nurse. How can I possibly know what medication to get you?"

Snorting, Kim grinned and shook her head. "I do," she said. "It's called Flumazenil or that should be the active ingredient."

There was a brief pause as Du Pont's face tightened then, finally, he nodded slowly and motioned to a guard. "Go find the drug that she needs," he said. "It should be in the dispensary, I'm sure."

The guard nodded sharply and left the room at a brisk run. Kim watched him go then looked at the rest of the guards who had been tightening their circle around them.

"Back off!" she snapped. "I am serious, I will hurt him if you don't." When they didn't move quick enough she kicked him in the leg again.

Du Pont groaned and sagged against her grip. "Back off damn you," he snapped at his people. "She is determined to be serious. Better yet, leave the room. Now!" His guards started to pile out when Kim stopped them with a sharp, "Wait!" When they looked at her, she pointed her thumbs at the cuffs around her wrists. "Leave a key."

At Mr. Du Pont's sharp nod one of the guards left the key on the bed by Shego's feet and closed the room door behind him, although the lock had been broken by their efforts to enter. When she was sure that they had all left the room, Kim pushed Du Pont forward.

"Pick up the key and unlock the cuff," she growled. "And don't try anything, I have you."

She felt the man's back move as he sighed deeply and picked up the key. When she eased her grip around his neck, he unlocked the cuff but remained standing quietly as Kim slipped it first off of her one wrist then, wrapping her free arm around Du Pont's neck, slipped it off of her other. She slapped the cuff around Du Pont's wrist and used it to secure him to the bed's railing so that she could step away and look at Shego. A part of her had been scared that the woman might stop breathing, but she was relieved to note that she was still just sleeping.

"You are not the girl I thought you were," Du Pont said as she briefly touched Shego's face. "You are... determined."

Kim grimaced and turned. "Shut up," she snapped as she went to Sandra Johnston. She wasn't coherent yet but it wouldn't be long. She hoped that they would come with the antidote quickly.

"And you seem to care for Shego, how interesting."

Kim reacted quickly, grabbing the man by his shirt collar and pulling him forward threateningly. "I said shut up," she snapped. "I am not playing with you."

The old man chuckled, but she could sense his caution as she let go of him.

It felt... empowering.

She knew that she should've been frightened of the thought but she wasn't. _Serves him right,_ she thought as she moved so that she could stand behind him again, waiting for his guards to come back. _Serves him right for what he did to my mother._

Her rage stirred, strengthening her determination.

"I wish my son had your tenacity."

Closing her eyes, fighting the urge to give the man a decent smack behind the head, Kim unlocked the cuff on the railing and pulled Du Pont's other hand behind his back so that she could cuff his wrists together.

"I thought it pretty tenacious that he stood up to you," she said. "Or was that smart?"

The man snorted, his eyes on Shego. "The boy ran from reason," he said. "It just shows his incompetence."

Kim growled and slipped her arm around his neck again when the guards came into the room. "He didn't run from reason Mr. Du Pont," she said in a low voice. "He ran from you."

"I am his father," Du Pont hissed, straining against her grip.

"No," Kim hissed sharply as she tightened her grip on his neck again to drive her point home. "You are the man who has tormented him, who has threatened his life. As his father, you should've protected him, yet you purposefully put him in harm's way. You broke his confidence in you, Mr. Du Pont, and that's why you've lost him like you lost your wife." She glanced at the guards. "Do you have the medicine?"

The guards nodded tightly and one stepped forward to show her the vial. Kim squinted at it and glared at the guard.

"Show me the top," she snapped. "Show me that the seal's unbroken."

Clearly irritated by her paranoia, the guard showed her the bottle more closely and then, at Kim's nod, went to Shego and took a clean syringe from the cupboard.

"Do you know what you're doing?" Kim snapped immediately, uneasy that she was reliant on them to inject Shego.

"Gustav is of my medical staff," Du Pont said tightly, "I can assure you he knows more than you do of the matter."

Kim's mouth tightened as she looked on as the man swabbed Shego's arm and prepared the syringe. "If you hurt her," she said. "Or if that harms her, you'll have to answer to me, do you understand?"

The guard glanced at her and then at Mr. Du Pont who took a steadying breath and tried to shift in Kim's grip so that he could stand more comfortably.

"They won't hurt her," he said simply. "She has friends in high places and enemies of course, but for someone in her position that goes without saying. And, you have your facts wrong Kimberlee Ann Possible, Jeremy's mother didn't leave me."

Kim snorted, her eyes fixed on the guard injecting Shego.

"No," she said distracted. "She died." She could feel the man's shoulders tighten at her words but she didn't care. _Serves him right,_ she thought. _Serves him fucking right._

"You are cruel Kim Possible."

For the first time, she could hear an edge in Du Pont's voice, his seemingly unflappable patience cracking. His words made her angry as she leaned forward and hissed in his ear.

"That's rich coming from you," she said, her tone scathing. "You kidnapped my mother and her colleague, orchestrated Sandra Johnston's betrayal. You wanted to lobotomise your own son, the only link that you have to your wife."

Mr. Du Pont jerked in her hold, his whole body going ramrod straight as he held his breath, unable to help herself, Kim smiled.

"You didn't think about that did you," she said. "You've been so preoccupied with changing Jeremy to your image that you forgot that if you did that, you will lose the last link that you had to his mother. He must be her son, because he's definitively not yours."

"Stop it." Du Pont hissed, pulling against her grip but she wasn't done yet.

"You should've stopped it," she retorted angrily. "You should never even have started it. Now, your wife is dead and your son gone. You have lost him in a worse way than you've lost your wife because this was your own doing. You drove your own son away from you..."

"Kimmie, stop."

Kim cut her sentence off midway and looked up to see Shego struggle into a sitting position. The surprised guard made to grab her, but she simply flared up her hands and blasted him across the room.

"Didn't think it worked that fast, did ya?" The villainess muttered and turned her slightly dazed look back on Kim. "Stop what you are doing Kim, you are better than that. You are not me."

Her words cracked Kim's anger and through that crack, the world flooded in. She could feel Du Pont shake against her, the pain her words brought driving all words from him. _Stop it, _he had asked her and she hadn't. Kim started shaking as she watched Shego push herself from the bed, the villianess watching the two guards at the door suspiciously. She almost lost her balance as she came towards them, rubbing her hair out of her face as she tried to clear her head from the sedative.

"Give him to me," Shego said, her lips pale and thin as she held out her hand. "I'll hold him Kim."

Kim looked at her and then at the guards by the door. "He deserves it," she said. "He deserves to hear it all."

Shego closed her eyes and gently placed her arm over Kim's where it was still wrapped around Du Pont's neck. "Not from you," she said quietly and looked at the guards. "What's the plan?"

Shivering at Shego's touch, but refusing to give way as the villainess continued to mould herself around her in an attempt to push her away from Du Pont, Kim bit her lip and looked at the guards.

"They're preparing a helicopter for us, isn't that right Mr. Du Pont?" she queried. At the man's tight nod she continued. "Are you okay Shego?"

Her reply came in the form of a short bark of a laugh. "No," Shego said. "But I am awake. One of the perks of Flumazenil is that it works quickly. It makes the side effects worth it."

Unable to step away from the villainess, Kim tightened her hold on Du Pont. "Side effects?"

"Nausea," Shego said shortly. "Now, I'll take him Kim. It's time for you to let go."

Realizing suddenly that she was a touch away from crying, Kim closed her eyes and gently allowed Shego to push her away. The villainess took up her grip around Du Pont, but also continued to touch Kim, keeping her hand in the lower bit of her back. They both glanced at Sandra Johnston simultaneously but the woman did not seem to be coherent enough to pose a threat yet after Shego's touch.

"Now," Shego said and looked at the assembled guards. "Kim said something about a helicopter..."

888

Jeremy was hiding, his heart feeling as if it would burst in his chest. To his shame, he had been crying. He had started crying when he saw them capture the young woman who had helped him and he didn't stop until he came outside and found himself a hiding spot. He could hear his father's guards looking for him as he hid in the undergrowth by the wall but he didn't dare show his face, terrified that they would take him back to that room.

He felt the faint throb under the bandage on his head and knew without a doubt that he had come very close to losing himself forever. He had never thought that he was anything worth keeping but now that two strangers had come to stand up for him, both Dr. Possible and her daughter, he knew that there must be something in him worthwhile. He hadn't felt that way in a very long time.

Things hadn't always been bad.

When his mother had been alive they had had a good life. His father absolutely doted on the pair of them and he knew that his parents loved each other. His father loved them enough to give them anything they asked for and his mother loved his father enough to respect him and not ask anything that he could not give. He had thought that life would be like that forever; that he would be held between the two of them, safe from the world.

But, then his mother became ill and things changed. As his mother's illness became more severe, so did his father and it was as if the cancer was not only destroying his mother's body but his father's spirit. Her death left a hole in their lives that could not be filled. So, by Jeremy's guess, his father decided to ignore it completely and remove all traces that his mother had ever existed. Whether it was intentional or not Jeremy could never tell, but it hurt him. His father's attitude towards him changes as well and, no matter what he did, it became clear to Jeremy that he was a failure. He found himself longing for his father's approval and because of that, he went through all the torturous experiments that his father put him through with a quiet resolve that – at the end of it, he might be a better son.

Now, he could see it was clearly never meant to be.

Waiting for another guard to move past, he pushed himself up a little and tried to determine whether it was safe to move from his hiding spot and find another. He didn't feel comfortable staying in one spot the whole time. When he was sure that there were no guards who would see him, he pushed himself up and prepared to dash down the wall.

He didn't get very far, only managing about six feet, when something crashed into him - bearing him to the ground.

888

They were walking down the corridor to where the helicopters were kept. Shego was holding onto Du Pont while Kim took point, keeping an eye on the navigator to tell them if they were going in the right position and keeping an eye on the guards to make sure they didn't do anything. They didn't speak because there wasn't anything left to say. Kim couldn't help but feel that Shego wanted her to apologize to Mr. Du Pont for what she had said, but she refused to even consider it. If given half the chance, she'd speak the rest of her mind to the man. She was still so angry that she found herself imagining strangling him with her bare hands.

She kept reigning in her imagination, telling herself that she was being a bit dramatic but the urge remained. She had lost a moral checkpoint in herself and she knew with a strange cold clarity that she was never going to get it back.

Her world had changed and for the first time she though she understood what it was like to be Shego. To stand in the gray and know that there was no way to ever step back to the white from where she had come. People did what they had to do to survive, to prosper.

She was no different, no better than any of those she had fought against or stood side by side with. In a strange way, her thoughts turned to Ron and to his innocence.

He was the only true hero among them, the one who would gladly sacrifice himself for the greater good. When he faced Monkey Fist that very first time, he chose to become what he feared to save the world. It did not change him for the worst, but made him a better person. She on the other hand had thought that she feared nothing, but was now faced with a world in which everything that she stood for was a lie. And, it changed her.

When she got back home, she would have to make good on her deal to Big Daddy Brotherson.

Looking at Shego as she half-dragged, half-carried Mr. Du Pont down the corridor, Kim felt her heart constrict, realizing that the young woman was truly enlightened, that she had had the courage to face this path of uncertainty alone. She had moved through the gray, through the questioning and come out of it a whole being, deadly and confident yet strangely vulnerable and noble. If she had to choose to be like anybody, Shego would be the mould she would shape herself to, for better or worse.

Again she felt an overwhelming urge to tell the woman that she loved her, that she had found in her all the answers to questions that she never even knew she had but Shego's face was tense and alert, her attention seemingly everywhere at once. Though, she seemed to sense Kim's thoughts and briefly glanced in her direction, her eyes asking Kim if she was still alright. As bad tempered as she was, she cared and Kim loved her all the more for it.

When they walked out into a sunlit courtyard, Kim's thoughts briefly turned to Mr. Du Pont's son Jeremy and she wondered where he was. She would've wanted to take him with them, but she didn't want to risk being captured again, nor another bargaining session if the guards had captured him. It was time to cut her losses and go. When they were safe, she would contact Global Justice and hope that they would reach the facility before they managed to evacuate it completely.

Right now getting herself and Shego out was a lot more important than trying to play the hero.

Shego picked up the pace as they walked to the pitch black Sea Hawk helicopter, cursing suddenly as Kim broke into a quick trot to keep up with her.

"You people couldn't have started it for us, could you?" she snapped as she looked at the assembled guards who were all strategically keeping their distance. "Stupid foreign..." She grumbled her sentence to a halt and looked at Kim. "Take him," she said and all but shoved Du Pont back into the teenager's care. "I'll get this baby started, you keep an eye on our farewell committee."

Kim pressed her back against the helicopter and very quickly snaked her arm around Du Pont's neck as Shego disappeared into the helicopter. "Are we taking him with us?" she queried as she glared at the guards. "You could barter him back for a handsome ransom amount. Cover your expenses?"

The guards shifted uncomfortably as Du Pont stiffened and Shego put her head out of the cockpit. "Kimmie, you shock me," she said blankly.

Kim grinned at her, though she realized that it must've looked quite feral. "He wanted to do the same to you," she pointed out. "He was going to ransom you back to Drakken."

Shego blinked and gave Du Pont a cold look. "Payback's a bitch," she said coldly. "Something both of you should remember. Load him up when I'm done. Keep an eye on them, I don't want any other passengers."

Kim nodded shortly as she listened to the sound of the engine starting against her back.

"She's right you know," Du Pont sneered from her grasp. "There is a reason revenge is so satisfying Kim Possible. I will remember this day and how you have used me. I will remember your mother's insolence and how you have turned my son against me. Mark my words, one day – I will come for you and your family."

Kim snorted and tightened her hold on his neck. "I will welcome that day," she said. "I'm not done with you yet Mr. Du Pont. If it wasn't for Shego..."

To her surprise, Du Pont chuckled. "You would've harmed me?" he queried. "Do you have it in you, Kimberlee Ann Possible? I do not think that you truly understand what you have done here today. You have moved away from justice and you have moved into _her_ shadow. But she too has moved away from her world, the place which shelters her. I might not have the reach of some of the more practiced villains in this world, but I have friends who know people and her participation here will be noted. Her reputation, like yours, will be ruined and where you can just shrug off your life of heroism and continue through school she will never be taken seriously again. Her livelihood destroyed by your insolence. And then, when she is shunned by all who used to shelter her, I will come for her as well and sell her to the highest bidder. Who knows what sort of people will be interested in her powers? Private companies? Global Justice?"

"No!" Kim shouted and before she completely realized what was happening she slung him around and shoved him against the helicopter, kicking him in the stomach before she grabbed him by his jacket collar and slammed him against the side again, hard. "Don't you touch her!" She yelled, her vision almost clouded by her anger. "I won't let you do that to her! Not again! I will..."

"KIMMIE!"

Arms grabbed her even as she moved to strike Du Pont again and pulled her away from the old man. Kim shouted and screamed against her captor, fighting against the arms that tried to secure her. Chaos erupted as the guards stormed at them, even as Du Pont collapsed against the helicopter, coughing for air. He was wheezing, laughing as the arms tried to throw her into the cockpit.

"KIMMIE CALM DOWN!" Her captor and saviour yelled again. "Kimmie please! We have to go!"

It was Shego.

Shego who had almost died, betrayed by her old lover. Shego who had lost her parents and given up the rest her family for a life shrouded in gray. Shego, who had been her only worthy opponent, but who had never truly harmed her.

And Shego, who had kissed her and then took possession of her heart and soul.

Kim saw a flash of green and shouted protest, knowing that Shego could drop her in a second if her hand touched her, but the flames weren't meant for her but for the guards moving to take them. Sense returned to Kim's mind, if that was what it could be called and she tried to twist from Shego's grip with new vigour.

"I'll help!" She yelled. "Let me go Shego!"

The villainess had no choice as a guard ran into her. Kim twisted out of Shego's grip and brought her fists down on the man's head even as he bore Shego to the ground. When he collapsed on top of her, Kim moved quickly and pulled him from the villainess. Shego seemed to flow to her feet and mouthed the word 'duck' even as Kim already bend down to allow the woman space to shoot her fire over her head. There was the dull thud of bodies behind her as two guards fell to Shego's powers.

"Get in the helicopter!" Shego snapped as she moved to engage two more guards, wrestling one's stun lance away from him and flaring it up with her own powers. "Go Princess, come on!"

Kim didn't listen but moved to engage two more guards who came at them from the other side of the helicopter. She looked to see if she could find Du Pont but he was momentarily lost in the chaos.

"We go together," she snapped. "I'm not risking you not making it! And I can't fly!"

Shego's reply was lost as the woman had to duck and fight off a guard. Kim parried with her own, fending them off easy enough but knowing that the security's superior numbers would eventually overwhelm them. When four guards stormed at her, she quickly ducked in underneath the helicopter and rolled to the other side, back to where she had seen Shego move to. It was there that she found Du Pont as he tried to crawl away from the fighting and exit at the rear end of the helicopter. Knowing that he was the key to tipping the balance, Kim quickly crawled towards him and managed to grab him by his leg just as he got up. She pulled hard, throwing him back down the ground just as she heard Shego's cry of alarm. Out of the corner of her eye she saw the villainess go down and she knew that she had to act quickly. Scrambling to her feet, she leapt onto of Du Pont and turned him on his back, sitting down on him to keep him down and immediately putting her hands around his throat.

"Call them off!" She shouted at him above the increasing clamour of the people around them. "Tell them to let her go!"

Du Pont looked at her, his eyes filled with cold rage and pain but when he didn't say anything she tightened her hold on his neck. "Tell them!" She yelled. "Tell them to stop or I will carry on until I've choked your last breath out of you!"

"You are not serious," he hissed. "You can't do it. You are weak, you will never have the heart to do what needs to be done, which is why you will always walk in the shadow of others..."

Kim tightened her grip at the same time she heard a clanging sound of metal on asphalt. There was a hissing sound and seconds later a stinging, choking gas filled the air around them as more sounds of gas canisters being thrown at them bounced around. Kim coughed but didn't let go of her hands on the man's neck despite the fact that her grip weakened momentarily. She was ready to start squeezing again when a force suddenly drove her from Du Pont and pulled her away from the shelter of the helicopter and away from the gas. She protested and fought against the person holding her, still coughing from the gas but the arms were determined, strong and familiar.

"It's ok KP," Ron's voice perforated her senses. "It's okay now Kim. We're here. Please. Please just relax KP, it's alright."

Kim looked up and saw the tight and concerned features of her best friend as he dragged her away from the chaos around the helicopter. She stopped struggling immediately, her body going limp even as she looked at the scene around her. There were scores of Global Justice agents now, all of them running around to round up Du Pont's guards. And amidst the chaos, Dr. Director dragged out a coughing Shego, a gas mask over her face, but her arms cuffed behind her back.

"No," Kim breathed even as Ron sank down to the floor beside her and pulled her into his lap.

"It's over KP," he said as he started rocking her. "It's over."

888

_To Be Continued..._

_AN: And, you'll be happy to know I'm already about a quarter into the next chapter. I have decided to leave all the rest of my projects for now and finish this. I'm in the home stretch, I'd hate to drag it out further. I have discovered recently that I'm not the only fanfiction author who lost her page breaks. I'm still thinking of how to address the issue properly. For now, it's the 888 but I'm worried that will change. I'm thinking of putting every first word of a paragraph in bold. Any thoughts? _

_Thank you for reading, thank you even more for the reviews! A big thank you to my Beta Tenchii Knight who's worked with this and my friend PixieJenn.  
You can follow me on twitter (see my profile page) if you want to keep an eye on what I'm doing writing wise. ;) _

_Alyss_


	22. Flash Back

**Chapter 22: Flash back. **

It was Ron who had figured it out. Ron who had put all the pieces of the puzzle together. He and Rufus had diligently sat in Dr. Director's office, working through the riddle of the magazines, following up articles which he thought might be leads. Wade joined him later when Agent Will Du brought back Kim's Kimmunicator and together the two of them worked through the rest of the pile, Wade browsing the electronic versions on the magazine's website.

The first to discover an article which pointed to William Du Pont was Ron who thought at first that the gentleman reminded him of Senior Señor Senior which immediately struck a bell, their trip to the Señor's island still fresh in his mind. He immediately asked Wade to Google the man who came up with a number of suspicious references. Dr. Director wasn't with him at that stage, having been bullied into going to bed by Leanne, but he quickly had her called and presented his findings to her. From there, it took Global Justice just a little bit less than ten minutes to get as much information on the man as was humanly possible. A quick check showed that he had travelled to Middleton during the time Dr. Possible saw her mysterious patient and further digging showed that he had been acquiring large amounts of medical equipment over the past six months. Ron didn't want to dwell on why he had been doing it, but he knew that it opened up a window of suspicion large enough for Global Justice to officially put their heads through.

Before two hours had seen its end they had managed to procure a warrant to raid his facility and were on their way there en masse.

It felt like one of the longest trips in Ron's life.

Before they went, Dr. Director drew him aside, her colour better and her eye set with determination. Yet, once they were alone her face softened as she rested a hand on his shoulder and forced him to look at her when he squirmed away from her touch.

"Ron," she had told him. "Please, be aware that we don't know what to expect on that island. We don't know what we're going to find there."

He met her eye briefly and looked away, shuffling his feet together as he slipped his hands into his pockets.

"I don't care what we find," he had told her naively, "just as long as Kim's there and Dr. Possible."

She had grimaced and he could see that she felt as if he was missing the bigger picture but he didn't care.

He just wanted his friend to be safe.

This was a prospect which seemed quite dim when they found Dr. Possible and another doctor, Adrian Stewart, some distance from the island in Shego's private aircraft by following the distress beacon that they had triggered.

Expecting Kim and Shego, Dr. Director was very surprised when it was Dr. Possible who answered her summons on the radio. The kidnapped woman's voice was tense with a touch of hysteria as she told them that Shego and Kim were still on the isle, most probably captives of Du Pont. Dr. Director immediately sent a team to retrieve the two doctors and took the rest of the people forward. When they reached the island, Dr. Director dropped Ron off at the far end, quietly hoping to keep him out of trouble while giving him the orders to patrol the border. He knew that he was being ditched, but calmly agreed to her actions. When they were just out of sight, Ron raced towards the facility, determined to be the first to find his friend.

He didn't find Kim, but accidentally found another key piece in the puzzle when he climbed over a wall and landed on Jeremy, William Du Pont's traumatised son. The pale boy, who was almost a head taller than Ron, looked as if he had seen a ghost when Ron dragged them both into the undergrowth for cover, babbling something in his foreign tongue. Ron, frightened that he might attract the attention of the guards, grabbed him by the shoulders and told him calmly that he doesn't speak anything but English. Jeremy had stopped talking then and blinked at him, dumb struck.

Unable to drag his attention away from the boy's shaved head, Ron asked him if he had seen Kim. The question clearly distressed the young man, making Ron even more nervous as he pointed in the direction of some buildings. Telling the boy to stay where he was, he ran towards the building, going in at the first door that was unlocked. He snuck through the corridors and only then remembered that he had the Kimmunicator with him and contacted Wade who was keeping an eye on GJ's movements. The young boy was quick to direct him to the courtyard where Kim was apparently trapped. Global Justice had just started to engage the guards, throwing teargas and flash-bangs to disorientate them. Ron, out of breath from running, looked around desperately trying to spot Kim. He found her quickly enough, her red hair in disarray as she dragged a figure away from the helicopter where the first canisters had landed.

Ron thought that she was rescuing him from the gas, but to his surprise she climbed on top of him and started strangling him. His cry fell on deaf ears, but before he knew what was happening he ran towards them. He saw the look in his friend's face and knew that something in her had snapped. He had feared it ever since he saw the way she threw Teryl Adamson over the railing. He had thought that it was unfounded when she saved the woman but then, in those precious moments when they needed to escape, Kim wanted to leave the scientist and her secretary behind and have them blow up with the facility. He had hoped that it was shock speaking; that in the rush of adrenaline Kim lost a touch of her perspective and that when everything settled down she would see the error of her almost mistake.

She didn't.

Something in Kim remained reserved, broody. He wanted her to let it go, but he felt as if she was nurturing her anger with her feelings of betrayal towards Global Justice and her personal disappointment in Dr. Director. Mixed up with her strange concern for Shego, his friend's perspective became a mess in his opinion.

And what frustrated him the most was that she didn't see it that way.

"Kim stop!" Ron yelled as he raced through the mill of guards and GJ agents towards his best friend. "KP stop, please!"

She didn't hear him, but he had not expected her to and she didn't seem dissuaded, even as Global Justice landed a gas canister close to them. Ron took a deep breath and ran through the gas, shoving Kim off of the villain and dragging her away from the choking cloud of teargas. She struggled in his grip like a mad woman, shouting protest as she desperately tried to get away.

Ron didn't let it discourage him, even as her head made contact with his chin, making him bite his lip. He dragged her until they were well away from the gas.

"It's okay KP," he said, his voice shaking. "It's okay now Kim. We're here. Please. Please just relax KP, it's alright."

Finally, his voice seemed to perforate her senses as she went lax in his arms and looked up at him, her eyes and nose streaming from the gas. Relieved that she had stopped fighting, Ron carefully sank down on the ground and wrapped his arms more securely around his best friend.

"It's okay Kim," he said, his relief at finding her immeasurable. "We've got you and your mom now. She's safe. Don't worry…"

His friend's attention was not on him but on the Global Justice agents as they rounded up the last of Du Pont's guards, the agents easily overpowering the force with superior numbers and coordination. The man that he assumed to be William DuPont was picked up by an agent he didn't know and given an oxygen mask to help alleviate the symptoms of the gas. In his arms, Kim moaned softly, a barely audible "No." escaping from her lips. He thought that it was because the agents were helping the man who had kidnapped her mother but when she struggled up and out of his arms, he realized that she was heading towards Dr. Director who had just emerged with Shego. The woman had given up her oxygen mask for Shego, who was coughing terribly. Dr. Director's face was set firmly as she moved Shego away from the rest of the arrested guards and carefully let her slide to the ground. Ron was pleased to note that she was cuffed and at Dr. Director's direction, two more agents came towards her to help secure the villainess.

"No!" Kim cried out again and, to Ron's surprise, leapt up without warning and ran towards Dr. Director. He was scared that in her current state she might attack the older woman and clearly, some of the GJ agents had those thoughts as well because a couple quickly moved to intercept her even before he could get up and join her side.

Dr. Director straightened up from where she had been positioning the still coughing Shego into a more comfortable position and looked at Kim sternly as she struggled against the two agents who had grabbed her, her green eyes wild as she looked at the woman on the floor.

"Let her go," Kim said as her gaze moved up to Dr. Director's. "She helped me, let her go! She's not one of them!"

Dr. Director looked at Kim with a small frown on her face before she shook her head and said calmly; "Kim, you know as well as I do that Shego is a wanted criminal. We cannot let her leave here." She looked at Ron who joined his friend's side.

"Hey back off!" He snapped as he tried to push away one of the agents holding her. "She's not dangerous! Don't treat her like a criminal." He wasn't sure whether he saw Kim flinch at his words but she licked her lips and fixed a desperate look on Dr. Director.

"Betty, please…" She begged; her voice tight. "Just this once. Just let her go. If it wasn't for her I would never have found my mother. Please."

Dr. Director shook her head slowly and glared at her two agents who were about to yank Shego up. "Careful with her," she snapped. "Watch her chest. You know I can't do that Kimberlee."

Kim gaped at the woman then looked at Shego who had stopped coughing and was looking at the two of them with a strange, quiet look. She didn't meet Kim's gaze, but closed her eyes when the two agents pulled her to her feet and slipped the oxygen mask off of her face. Kim looked at the passive expression on her face and struggled against the agents holding her with renewed vigour.

"Don't just stand there!" she snapped at Shego. "Fight them! Get out!"

Dr. Director moved to answer but it was Shego who spoke first, her face half hidden behind her hair as she glanced at Kim and then at the floor. "And go where Cupcake?" she queried.

Unable to believe what she was hearing, Kim yanked against the two agents holding her. Ron looked at his friend, shocked by what he was hearing.  
"Kim stop it!" he snapped. "Let's just go, please."

Kim turned to Ron sharply and shook her head. "She helped me," she said and turned back to Dr. Director who was frowning at her. "She helped me! Nobody else would! She got me this far. She came back for me when I was captured. I want you to let her go!"

Dr. Director sighed softly and moved so that she could stand between Kim and the completely silent Shego.

"Kim I'm sorry," she started but the youth interrupted her.

"No!" Kim snapped. "You're not! That's all you ever say! I'm sorry, I can't help you. I'm sorry, but we don't know what's happening. I'm sorry, but my company's just going to _let her die._ You say those words to save yourself from your own conscience, to free yourself from guilt but you—you and everybody like you—you are captured by it! You are all guilty! And the only people who are free are people like Shego! Who make their own choices! Who live their own lives! I'd like to say that you are no different from them! But the truth is - you are worse!"

A silence settled around the courtyard as the last of Kim's shouted words echoed around them. Ron cringed when every single agent stopped to look at his friend, the disgust clear on their faces. He expected Dr. Director's face to be a mirror of theirs, but when he looked at her, the woman seemed sad as she motioned to the two agents holding Kim.

"Let her go," Betty said softly. "For God's sake."

They stepped back all to glad to let go of Kim, moving away from her as one would from a leper. Ron was sure that his friend would've collapsed as she stood there shaking and quickly moved to give her some support by putting his arm around her back. Before anybody could say anything, there was a sound of two more planes coming in. Everybody turned to see another Global Justice plane and Shego's jet land in the courtyard.

Ron felt Kim turn slightly to look at it, then snapped her gaze back to Shego who was still standing behind Dr. Director, her body slightly hunched as she half stood, half leaned between the agents holding her up.

"Shego..." Kim started but for the first time, the villainess shook her head sharply and looked up with a frown.

"It's over Kim," she said simply. "Go to your mother."

Kim made to protest, but Ron gently but firmly started pulling her away from the villainess under Dr. Director's mournful gaze. When the ramp of Shego's plane dropped, Dr. Possible appeared first, followed closely by Dr. Adrian Stewart and a GJ agent, who was escorting a woman that Ron didn't recognize out to where the other prisoners where. Ron remembered hearing over the intercom that Shego had instructed the two doctors how to do a high speed body transfer which allowed an agent to come onboard and fly the craft for them in the event that Global Justice found them. Otherwise the plane would've made its way to the closest airport thanks to its third generation autopilot system.

When Dr. Possible looked at the scene in the courtyard, she closed her eyes painfully and very unceremoniously sank down at the foot of the ramp. Kim, giving Shego one last look of dismay, ran to her mother and helped her up again. Ron remained behind for a second longer, looking at Shego, trying to determine what was going on in the villainess' head as she watched the Possible's reunion. When she sensed him looking at her, she turned her piercing green gaze to his. As they looked at each other, Ron felt an indescribable feeling of jealousy mount up inside him when he realized that Kim had chosen to follow Shego instead of him.

Unable to help himself, he stepped closer to her and stabbed his finger into her chest, making her flinch.

"Don't you ever come near my friend again," he hissed as Dr. Director stepped in between them and pushed him away.

"That's enough Ronald," she snapped but he ignored her and continued.

"I can see what you're doing," he said. "And you are hurting her. You are taking away everything that is good in her. And I tell you now, if you hurt her or continue with this, I will find you. I don't care how scary you are; I will find you and hurt you as much as you have hurt her."

To his disgust he saw Shego smile as she inclined her head ever so slightly. "I'll be waiting for you, Stoppable," she said, making him shiver suddenly.

Sniffing, glaring at the villainess one last time to make sure that she didn't think that he was intimidated by her, he ran to where Kim was now sitting with her mother, hoping that this was going to be the end of this mess.

888

"And what do you have to say for yourself?"

Shego tore her eyes away from where she had been following Kim and her mother as they left with one of the Global Justice medics and looked at Dr. Director who was looking at her critically. The woman looked as tired as she felt even though her face gave away no hint as to her emotions.

Shego was cautious of Betty Director who was undoubtedly one of the most powerful women in the world. Their history stretched back a little further than hers with Kim as Betty was responsible for attempting to capture her when she just started her life of crime. She and her brothers had never worked with Global Justice before that because the agency used to frown upon vigilantly heroes and her brothers in turn didn't like to be bossed around by anybody, including each other.

"If you're looking for an apology for your head you'll wait for a long time Betty," she said simply and looked back to where the two Possibles disappeared into one of the carrier planes. "We all do what we have to do."

She was surprised when Dr. Director smiled at her in an almost kind way.

"Like when you went back to save Kim Possible?" she queried. "Or when you decided to help her find her mother?"

Taken by surprise, Shego blinked and stood a little straighter, ignoring the dull pain in her chest. This excursion hadn't done her health any good and she had a teargas canister go off at her feet when she went into the helicopter again to try and get it started. She couldn't help but feel a little bit embarrassed when she remembered how Dr. Director found her in the chaos of the smoke and carefully moved her to safety after handing her own gas mask to her. Shego could hardly breathe at that stage, her compromised chest refusing to work in conjunction with the choking haze.

"Are we just going to stand here all day?" Shego snapped. "Or are we going to get moving? Processing me's going to take a long time you know."

Dr. Director half smiled half snorted and nodded her head ever so slightly. "Of course it will," she said. "That's why there's no need to rush it. Let them round up the rabble first, we'll follow."

Shego snorted. "Well then, I want to sit down," she said, "I am sore, tired, and have had one hell of a rough day."

Again Dr. Director looked at her with that half-amused, half-disaffecting smile before she looked at the leaving transporter that was carrying Kim and her mother.

"Patience," she said. "We'll be moving shortly."

The villainess growled and pulled against the agents. "I am not a patient woman!" she said. "You are wasting my time!"

The director turned back to her sharply. "Patience is a virtue Shego, one which I have always associated with you." She said monotonously. "You have always been like a trap door spider, waiting for the opportune moment to strike. You choose your jobs carefully, plan you heists almost to perfection and, even in your service to Dr. Drakken, have been invaluable. Most believe that you are the only reason his plans come close to succeeding. You have a very professional life within the boundaries of your profession. Yet, you risked everything to help Kimberlee Ann Possible, I suspect because you felt indebted to her for saving your life."

There was a pause as Shego glared at her and shifted her weight. "I don't see how that has got anything to do with you," she said bitterly.

Dr. Director turned to face her completely. "It is relevant," she said, "Because I want to know why."

Shego snorted and briefly turned her face away from the director. "That is none of your business." She snapped, though to her vexation, Dr. Director smiled again.

"Oh but it is Shego," she said. "Everything is my business. Why did you help Kim Possible?"

Again Shego snorted. "That is really not relevant." She said. "Now, are we going to stand here all day? Or do you want to give me an excuse to break free?"

The older woman smiled at her. "I don't think you will this time," she said confidently.

Shego growled softly and pushed closer to Dr. Director. "How can you be so sure?" she said and ignited her hands. To her shock though, the glow lasted only for a second before the flames were absorbed by the cuffs around her wrists. Her eyes went wide as she looked to Betty for an explanation.

The older woman shifted calmly and crossed her arms in a relaxed pose.

"Because," she said simply. "We've adapted Teryl Adamson's technology to make a cuff which can absorb your power. And you are tired and hurt Shego and, believe it or not, I think it would be a good thing if our doctors have a look at you. Sometimes you have to choose your battles and you know now as well as I do that with this one, the odds are against you."

Shego's reaction was not what the woman expected.

The shock that she had felt at the sight of her powers being absorbed by the cuffs was replaced by an intense feeling of pure, blind panic. Shego never handled being frightened well. She had been scared to death in the hospital when she was sick but she had managed to keep it at bay because she did not want to show Kim her weakness. Yet, now that she was faced with the same problem, with her emotions spread so thin from these couple of days with the teenager, Shego found the last of her resistance snapping. With a cry of desperation, Shego threw herself away from her captors, making a summersault over their heads which forced them to let go of her arms. When she landed, she jumped up again quickly, moving her cuffed hands to her front. She then grabbed one agent and threw him against the other, kicking him in the knee as she did so. He cried out in pain as he bore his partner to the ground. Not taking the time to celebrate her triumph, Shego spun around and lashed out at the other two agents with them.

"Shego!" She heard Dr. Director snap behind her as she ducked a swipe from an agent and tried to see if he had a handcuff key on his belt. "Shego wait! Men!" When the agent swiped at her again, she grabbed his arm and threw him over her shoulder into the two other agents that were trying to untangle themselves from each other. She followed up her throw with an immediate blind kick behind her, but the kick was deflected by the agent. As Shego turned around to face him, strong arms suddenly enveloped her from behind and pulled her to the ground.

Panicked, Shego started kicking out blindly and screaming, all the while trying to ignite her powers.

"I will not be experimented on!" She yelled. "You will not do that to me again! I won't let you! Let me go! I will kill you all! You won't take me to your doctors! You won't!"

"Shego!" Dr. Director yelled behind her. "Shego be calm! Shego!" An agent dove to the ground and grabbed her legs, preventing her from kicking out any further.

Frightened senseless, Shego felt her thoughts shoot to Kim, wishing that she was there to see it, wishing that she was there to help her.

"Oh god," Shego whispered as she remembered how weak she had been in hospital. "Oh please…" There was a medic running towards them, a hypodermic already prepped in his hands. Shego closed her eyes and to her own shock more than everybody else's, whimpered.

"Shego," Dr. Director said again. "Shego, we're not taking you to a lab. I am sorry, I should've phrased it better. I am sorry! Oscar wait!" The medic stopped and looked at them uncertain.

With her breath coming in short, panicked gasps, Shego stopped struggling and waited. The silence around them became almost unbearable as everybody watched her and the director on the ground.

"Everybody back off," Dr. Director snapped, tightening her hold on Shego. "Just for a second, back off and give us space." When the agents looked at her uncertain she barked the command again. "I said back away!"

Finally, uncertain and still prepared for action, the agents took a few steps back. Nodding at them, Dr. Director turned her body slightly so that Shego could lie on the ground instead of on top of her, but she did not let go of her.

"I won't do that to you Shego," she said softly. "Not again. I am sorry."

With her breathing still ragged, Shego shook her head sharply, unable to stop the tears from running down her face.

"You did," she said. "And you will again. When the command comes, you will answer it. That is how you work. You will have to."

When Dr. Director didn't say anything, Shego closed her eyes. "Do you want to know why I helped Kimmie?" she queried. "Why I risked everything for her?"

"Yes," Dr. Director breathed against her neck.

Shego opened her eyes and looked at the white walled facility in front of them. There was nobody around anymore, most of the guards and staff rounded up by global justice. She didn't even know what had happened to the young boy that Kim had gone back to save or his father.

"Because she is worth it," Shego breathed. "Because she deserved to be helped by any means necessary and because she is a better person than you or I. And I helped her, because you wouldn't. Because you were stupid enough to think that just telling her to sit still and play the good girl would be enough incentive to keep her on the sidelines. I helped her because I knew if I didn't, she would hurt herself and I couldn't bear the thought of it. I might be a villain Dr. Elizabeth Director, but I am a better person than you are."

She felt Dr. Director stiffen against her, heard the woman's teeth clench together as she considered her words.

"You care about her," she whispered softly and Shego knew immediately that it was a statement, not a question. She didn't say anything, didn't confirm Dr. Director's words but the truth of them drove all the will to fight out of her.

Dr. Director felt the change and slowly relaxed her grip on the younger woman. Angry at herself, angry at the world, Shego sniffed sharply and rubbed at the tears still trailing down her cheeks. Beside her, Dr. Director sat up slowly and sighed deeply, looking at the agents that was still looking at them, their gazes filled with a quiet respect for her because she had managed to subdue Shego where they had failed.

Dr. Director grimaced and carefully hooked her hand into Shego's elbow, gently easing her into a sitting position.

"Come on," she said softly. "Let's go."

Shego wordlessly allowed the woman to pull her up further unable to stop herself from leaning against her.

_What have I done?_ Shego thought as Dr. Director walked her towards her own jet. _What have I done to myself and to Kim? How did I let things go this far?_

888

_To Be Continued..._

_AN: Here we go ladies and gentleman, another one. __ Mixed reviews on the last chapter. Interesting ones that I took to heart. Thank you all. I'm not getting round to replying to each individually at the moment. Sorry, my time is very limited at the moment. Work is good, but busy and hard. _

_Thank you again for all the reviews! I really appreciate every single one of them. _

_Keep well everybody, see you in a week or two. ;) _

_Alyss_

_3-;-_


	23. The Journey Home

**Chapter 23: The Journey Home.**

She could sense that Ron wanted to speak to her, but Kim honestly had no idea what to say. She also didn't want to give him a chance to speak to her, afraid of the questions that he would ask her or the accusations that he would make.

He had dragged her off of Mr. DuPont when she had him on the ground.

Kim couldn't say if she would've strangled the old man, but she was so mad that she lost all perspective for a few seconds, brought back only when she heard Ron's voice and felt his arms around her.

Her friend seemed to bring some balance back into her damaged psyche and even if she still wanted to, she could not harm anybody, strangely fearing his ignorant judgement.

The irony was that he wouldn't judge her. That he would always take her side as he did when she went to try and bargain Shego away from Global Justice.

She couldn't understand why Shego didn't fight, didn't try and get away from Dr. Director. She had just stood there amongst them, her face pale and her demeanour almost broken, so much less than Kim was used to.

_Did I break her?_ Kim thought suddenly, her heart clenching at the thought as she looked at her mother laying beside her on a small cot onboard the GJ plane. The medics had started a saline IV and gave her a mild sedative to help her relax. Kim was grateful for this because she could see that her mother was close to breaking down when it dawned on her that they were all safe. She didn't doubt her mother's strength, but she also knew that sometimes, it was inevitable and it was more easily repaired when nobody saw you crack.

Swallowing her own tears, Kim felt Ron shift beside her as she reached out and touched her mother's leg in an attempt to convince herself that it was all done and that she was truly safe. She felt Ron move and put his hand behind her back, not quite touching her, but making sure that she knew that he was still there for her.

Kim bit her lip, struggling to keep herself from looking at him as she fought her own tears. Ron sensed it and shifted closer.

"It's okay KP," he repeated his mantra which he had been all but chanting since they got onto the plane. "It's over now."

She wished that she could believe it, wished that she could just let things go – but it wasn't that simple.

When she looked at Ron, Kim remembered the kiss she had given him when she was fleeing her neighbourhood to meet Shego. She still didn't know what had possessed her to do it, why she had suddenly needed to feel his lips on hers.

"_Don't go where I can't follow,"_ he had pleaded, but the sad thing was that in that moment, she moved further away from him than she had ever gone before.

Kim closed her eyes and shook her head, wishing that Ron would just get up and leave, his presence suddenly all but choking her. Ron sensed it, but didn't get up, instead moving closer to her so that he could put his arm around her shoulders and pull her to him.

"Just relax Kim," he said softly as she stiffened again. "We're here. It's over."

"Ron..." She started whispering, wishing that she could muster up the strength to tell him to leave her alone, but knowing that she would fail to remain upright without him. "It's not. It never will be."

She had changed too drastically, too irrecoverably because even as he drew her closer and started rocking her, the only person she could think of was Shego.

888

Shego was a little bit surprised that Dr. Director chose to transport her to their Head Quarters in her own jet but didn't comment, quietly sitting where the agents had tied her down to one of the passenger seats. She even didn't feel like making a sneering comment about Dr. Director's flying or warn her to fly well.

She just didn't care.

Shego hurt.

Not just her chest, but her whole soul felt as if it was shivering with pain.

Shego felt vulnerable and she didn't like it. The last time she had felt this vulnerable was when she had just gone abroad, having realized that a life of fighting crime wasn't for her. She wasn't scared to be on her own at that stage, but rather – scared of change and scared of herself.

She was scared now, so scared in fact that she could not even muster a drop of anger to fight it with. She scared that Global Justice, having seen the value of Teryl Adamson's work, would decide to take it a step further and experiment on her, trying to see where else they could utilize her powers. It wasn't something she had ever thought of, though thinking back she realized that her brothers had cautioned her against it. She had never thought that she would ever be something worth studying and had never thought that people would be able to hold her in a position where she could not fight her way out.

The handcuffs that they had put on her wrists changed everything. If they could do that, who knew what else they would manage? Nobody would listen to the rights of a criminal. That's just not the way this world worked.

She wished suddenly that she had let Drakken know where she was so that he could attempt to break her out if she didn't come back to work. But, she had not even told him where she went on holiday, foolishly worried that he might bother her. He used to, but this time, in the aftermath of her illness, he quietly let her be, not even phoning her once to ask something trivial like where he had put his goggles.

_He's good to me,_ Shego thought quietly, feeling a prickle of tears behind her eyes. _I don't always see it, but he is good to me._

Maybe she needed him as much as he needed her.

It was a strange thing to realize and, in the state of mind that she was, she found herself quietly promising that she would try to listen to him more and give him a little bit more support.

When she looked towards the cockpit, Shego found her thoughts turning to Kim, even though she had been trying to avoid thinking about the teen hero.

Fighting down a fresh set of tears, Shego closed her eyes and leaned her head into her hands. The agents had not bothered to put her arms back behind her back which would've made her more dangerous if she had had the will to fight.

She remembered Ron's words and, although she thought that he was a little bit naïve and overambitious, she couldn't help but feel that she understood where he came from. In the past couple of weeks, she had seen Kim change slowly. When she was in hospital she had found it amusing in a way, almost invigorating to see the teen hero start to go through the same angst she had had. She wouldn't deny she had purposefully steered the young woman into a different line of thought, not to change her into a villain, but to make her think about the path that she followed so blindly.

Now that she had seen the consequences of it though, Shego couldn't help but feel that she had truly done the wrong thing, that she had destroyed the young woman she used to admire so much.

And, then there was _that_ to consider...

The urge to cry became stronger as Shego swallowed and pressed her palms more tightly into her face.

She and Kim were lovers now. She had taken the young woman's innocence from her, shown her how to make love as opposed to just love someone. And, at Kim Possible's hands, she too had felt desire, the need to give this youth everything of her soul that she could spare. A part of her whispered _rebound_ after Teryl Adamson's betrayal, but Shego knew with devastating certainty she had been attracted to Kim since the first day she saw her.

She had always believed that it was because they were kindred spirits, two strong young women playing against each other in the universal chess game between good and evil. As it turned out, it stretched a little bit further than that.

'_I don't think that I'm gay per say. But, I do think that I'm attracted to you,' _Kim had said to her, her eyes so pressed with the need to understand.

Shego didn't tell it to her at the time but that was sadly the first phase of discovering one's sexuality: The easy lie that you can tell yourself that you are just attracted to one person. It was often followed by denial, the blatant refusal to accept that one was doomed to live an extraordinary life that most people frowned upon.

People wanted to be accepted. It was the fall of man who, was actually the biggest pack animal of all. The fear of being pushed out of the proverbial herd was more than most people could handle so they willed their lives to be the reflection of what they thought people wanted to see in them.

Shego couldn't help but feel that Kim, who was still in high school, a breath away from starting her final year, would feel that pressure more acutely than she had when she first realized that she was attracted to Teryl Adamson. Shego herself had had so much _otherness_ to deal with that being gay was just another step away on a long road away from normality.

But Kim was different. She was 'good.' She conformed to the norm and played by society's rules.

Shego had changed all of that and, by default, had made her life more difficult than it ever would have been.

She had been so lost in thought, that Shego didn't realize that GJ had landed her jet, only realizing that they were on the ground when the hatch opened.

Shego looked up from where she had had her head pressed into her hands and looked outside, smelling a tang of salt air and hearing the distant murmur of the beach above the rumbling noise of her engines shutting down. She looked around, bewildered, and realized that Dr. Director was standing in front of her, her gaze bringing a sense of nakedness around her when Shego realized that she had been crying.

Angrily rubbing away at the tears which had slipped past her defences, Shego met the older woman's gaze defiantly, daring her to say anything.

Dr. Director only sighed softly and, to Shego's surprise, knelt down in front of her and unlocked the cuffs.

Shego's reaction was immediately, done without thought. She moved quickly, faster than Dr. Director could anticipate and grabbed the woman by her uniform collar and slammed her against the other side of the jet, her other hand already ablaze.

"Doctor Director!" The agent who had travelled with the director yelled and held up his standard issue stun gun threateningly but the woman waved him off, holding up her hand sharply to stop him from reacting.

"Put me down Shego," she said quietly as she rested one hand on Shego's wrist and carefully brought the other one up to rub away the tears on her face. "Come now, put me down. You're free to go."

When the director's hand touched her face, Shego flinched away, dropping the woman in an unceremonious heap on the floor.

"What the fuck are you playing at?" Shego breathed, igniting her other hand and making sure that she kept her gaze on both Dr. Director and her agent, as well as keeping an eye on the open door.

"I haven't received my orders yet," Dr. Director said monotonously. "HQ has not told me yet what to do with you, so I have decided to let you go."

Shego didn't believe it—_couldn't_ believe—that the woman, who was the cornerstone of Global Justice, would do such a thing.

"Why?" she hissed.

Dr. Director straightened her uniform and shrugged, dropping her hands to her hips.

"Because you are right," she said simply, "Because I have to follow orders as much as I have to give them. And normally that is what I would do but today..." She shrugged and smiled almost gently.

"Today what?" Shego growled.

"Today," Dr. Director continued. "I see more worth in rewarding you for your help, for the good that you did."

Shego snapped her teeth together and took a threatening step towards the woman. "I didn't do it for you," she growled. "I didn't do it for your approval or your reward."

The woman shook her head and crossed her arms in front of her chest, not even glancing at the intense fires that danced around Shego's hands.

"No," she said simply. "You did it for Kimberlee Ann Possible. I will not punish the one good deed that you did here. How then do we expect to reform you in the future?"

The last was said as a joke but Shego didn't find it funny. As the flames around her wrists died away, she found herself staring at Dr. Director, unable to figure out what she was supposed to do.

Again, Betty Director smiled at her and carefully—almost hesitantly—rested a hand on her shoulder.

"Here's a piece of advice for you, Shego," she said softly. "Leave crime. Go on a long—term vacation. You don't have to be a hero but you don't have to be a criminal either."

Shego's mouth thinned, but she did not pull away from Dr. Director's touch. Betty smiled at her and patted her shoulder gently, then on impulse leaned over and kissed Shego lightly on the cheek.

"Good bye, Shego," she said as she pulled away and looked at her agent who was still staring at them, his comfort zone clearly rattled – perhaps beyond repair. "Come on Will."

The agent hesitated but one sharp look from his boss made him shift slightly and then move past Shego, looking at her as one would at a junkyard dog.

The villainess watched the two of them go with a sense of unreality swirling around her. She remained standing there for almost ten minutes before she sank to the floor and broke down crying.

888

"Why did you do it?"

Kim startled out of her thoughts and looked at Ron who had finally worked up the courage to ask the question she had sensed looming ever since they joined up again.

"What?" Kim asked monotonously, still watching her mother as she slept. The boy, Jeremy, that she had tried to rescue had joined them, looking strange and out of place in the jacket Global Justice had given him. They had found him when they were rounding up the last of the guards. Kim had thought that they would take him with his father but apparently Jeremy insisted on using another plane. He didn't speak to any of them, but sat by her mother's head, gently running his fingers through her hair, gently prying out the crusted blood clumps whenever he encountered them.

"Why did you leave me?"

Kim looked up at her best friend, surprised by the raw emotion in his voice as his brown gaze demanded an answer from her. Kim bit her lip and shook her head, looking to her hands because she could not face his gaze.

"I didn't leave you Ron," she said softly. "I just... went. It had nothing to do with you."

She could tell immediately that her words pained him.

"I'm your best friend KP," he said. "Of course this had everything to do with me. I'm your side-kick, I stand beside you. I'm always supposed to be beside you."

Unable to imagine what she could say, Kim briefly glanced at him and swallowed.

"I'm sorry," she said numbly and looked down towards her hands again.

Ron gaped at her for a second and then abruptly grabbed her shoulder and turned her towards him. "You're sorry?" he queried. "That's not good enough Kim! How can you just leave me, _twice_ and just say that you are sorry? You choose to take Shego above me. Even when I asked you to take me with you, you left. How could you do that Kim? How? We were a team!"

At his words, it felt as if everybody in the plane looked at them. Her mother stirred and Jeremy, with his pale face and dark eyes, looked at them blankly, his hands still on her mother's head.

Kim swallowed, feeling trapped and outnumbered. "I..." She paused. "I just had to, Ron. It was nothing against you, I just had to get help. And, I couldn't take you with me."

Ron frowned at her accusingly and sat back, crossing his arms over his chest defensively. "Because Shego is better than me?" he queried. "Because she can better cover your back with her powers than I can with my stupidity?"

Kim blinked and shook her head. "No," she said. "No Ron, it's not that. She's not better than you. I took her because she's _worse. _She has contacts and methods that we don't. I took her with me because she was a criminal, Ron."

His gaze didn't lose any of its accusation nor its pain. "But Kim," he said. "You could've taken me with you. You know that I would always stand by you. No matter where you need to go and what you need to do. Don't you know this? Didn't you think about it?"

Kim sighed softly and nodded. "Ron," she said quietly. "I didn't take you because I didn't want to see you get hurt. I had to do things Ron that..." She paused and looked at the agents around them. "That will most probably come back to bite me in the ass. If they don't arrest me now for associating with Shego, someone else is going to come forward and complain. I couldn't... didn't want to risk your life like that, to make you carry the consequences of my life and my choices. That's not fair towards you Ron, no matter what you say."

Her friend shifted and shook his head. "But Kim," he said. "You know that I would've chosen to come with you regardless. I don't care about those things, I could've helped you. Watch your back. I don't mind facing Global Justice's consequences. I just want to be with you."

Kim looked at her friend and quite suddenly felt years older than he was, feeling the gap in emotional age that had formed between them. Ron couldn't see it, didn't want to see it. His world was very plain and simple, very black and white. She knew in her heart, as she had when she left him, that he wasn't ready and that she could not drag him down with her.

"I know," she said softly. "And that's because I couldn't take you Ron, because I'm not good enough for you Ron. I'm really not the person that you should be beside, right now. I'm so sorry."

That turned the tables quick enough as Ron blinked and shook his head. "No, don't say that Kim," he said quickly and put an arm around her. "I don't care about that. You are good enough. You're my best friend. I'll always stand beside you, no matter what. You are good enough."

Kim allowed herself to lean into Ron's hug but the gesture didn't make her feel any better, rather it just made her feel like a fraud. She couldn't help but feel that she had just emotionally manipulated Ron into forgiving her, into giving her comfort. For the first time in her life, she hadn't been entirely honest with him.

_This is where it starts,_ Kim thought quietly as she wrapped her arms around Ron and held him tightly, wishing that she could feel as close to him as she used to. _Shego kept things from her brothers, sharing only bits of her life until the gap between them became so wide it couldn't be breached. I am walking down her path. The only difference between her and me is that she did it unknowingly, only realizing where she was going until she reached her destination. Me? I choose to be here._

888

When the jet left, Dr. Betty Director sighed tiredly and sat down on the white sand of the island where they had landed. Beside her, Agent Will Du looked at the departing plane and then at her, his eyes full of accusation.

Betty in turn smiled at him and raised her wrist to her mouth. "Big Dog and Pup requesting extraction," she said into the radio. "I say again: Big Dog and Pup requesting extraction."

There was a squawked reply from the other side of the radio which made Betty smile and settle back to watch the ocean. Will didn't move from his position, his gaze riveted to her head.

As the silence stretched around them, Betty finally sighed and glanced up at her most promising Agent.

"Ask me," she said softly. "I know you want to."

Will let out a sharp breath and shifted, refusing to sit down even as she patted a spot beside her.

"Why did you let her go?"

Betty smiled slightly, mentally praising herself for being able to predict her agent's behaviour, and sat back - stretching out her legs comfortably.

"Because," she said quietly, "it was what any good person would've done."

She could almost hear Will Du growl at her, but in truth, he kept his agent calm, merely balling his fist briefly to show her that he was displeased with her answer.

"It wasn't the right thing to do," he said coldly. "She is a criminal."

Betty smiled slightly and shrugged. "I know," she said simply. "On both accounts. It wasn't right to let her go and I will most probably get more flak for this than you can ever imagine."

Will frowned at her slightly and finally, after some intense internal debating, sat down in the sand beside her.

"Then why did you do it?" he queried.

Again, Betty smiled and turned to look at him. "Because I wanted to," she said simply. "Because when I held that young woman in my arms, I could feel what a sacrifice it had been for her to have helped Kim. She is a villain, Will, yet she came up above and beyond the call of duty to help one of our own. Surely if she could do that, then so could I?"

Will shook his head in disagreement. "She manipulated you," he said. "She wanted you to have this reaction. I heard her tell you that she considers herself better than you because she was able to help Kim and you weren't. Don't you think that that stepped on your pride and made you make this decision?"

Betty turned her gaze back to the ocean and listened to it for a while. "Perhaps," she said quietly. "You will realize, Will, that it is not nice to have your short-comings thrown in your face, especially if you are aware of it. But no, no – Shego said those things because she meant them, not because she could see some way out of her predicament."

Will snorted. "And she was right," he said. "She was in our grasp, Doctor Director! We finally have the means to control her powers! By capturing her, not only do we neutralize her threat, but Dr. Drakken's as well. You let her go and through that, you most probably threatened the world with another evil scheme from her employer."

Again, Betty nodded. "I know all of that, Will," she said simply. "And, when the time comes, I will lie awake about it, not you. The thing is Will, that there are a lot of things out there what we need to do what is right. That is why we are called Global Justice, because we have taken it upon ourselves to keep the world safe. But, in order to do so, it's also very important to sometimes look at the world from the world's perspective. Before I became the director, I was an agent like you. Do you think that I was at the top of my class?"

Will blinked at the quick change. "Of course," he said. "Naturally."

Betty smiled. "Wrong."

The young agent stared at her dumbfounded.

Breathing in the ocean air, Betty turned to Will and made an open gesture with her hand. "I was wild in my day, impulsive. Heart set to..." She paused and grimaced. "Convert or capture my brother. I did things as I saw fit, used the name of justice to rationalize my own actions. I made mistakes and many at that. But, then one day – I was given a choice to do something, much like I did today, to make a choice between right and wrong. The law demanded that I do what is right, but my heart told me to do what was good. In those life changing moments, I choose to do what is good, what my heart told me. And, on that day Will, I became a better agent. I began to realize that sometimes to disperse justice isn't the only chore that we have, but to keep people's faith in that which is good. And, that was why I was chosen to be the leader of Global Justice." When the young man didn't comment she continued. "Deep down, Will, Shego is a good person. Yes, I hate saying it, but she is. She is loyal to her employer, fiercely protective of her family even though she'd deny it under oath. She believes in a face to face fight, which is most often the fairest. And, she had the honour to feel indebted to Kim for saving her life. If she was evil and if she was the terrible villainess that we thought she was, she wouldn't have bothered. Or, she might've, but she wouldn't have gone back to save Kim when she got captured. She did a good thing today and if I am worth my salt as a human being, I won't punish her for that."

Will seemed to struggle with her words as he pushed the heel of his shoes into the sand and pushed it away. There was an audible squawk from the radio, signalling to them that their ride was close by. He realized suddenly that Dr. Director had never called through their co-ordinates, nor did she inform her people why they needed extraction.

"But she is a criminal," he said finally to which Dr. Director nodded.

"Yes," she said. "And Kim Possible is a hero. Yet, she chose to go to Shego for help. Now I am, _among other things_, very displeased with Kim Possible. But, I won't punish her for what's happened today. So, how can I punish Shego?"

Her agent didn't say anything to signal that he understood what she meant, but it put Betty's mind a little at east that he didn't argue with her any further. Hearing the jet land behind them, she pushed herself up tiredly and patted the young man's shoulder.

"I want you to learn something today, Will," she said quietly. "And, that there is more in the world than 'right' and 'wrong.' That sometimes, good people will do terrible things, and evil will right it. As a good agent, you need to be able to see that and as a good human being, you need to be able to understand it." She sighed and looked at the agents coming her way. "And sometimes, you will have to decide whether you want to be a good agent, or a good man. Then, when you make that decision, make sure that you can live with the consequences."

He looked up at her then, his brow pitched as he tried to understand. Betty smiled at him, sadly, and held out her hand to pull him up.

"Come on Will," she said softly. "Let's go home."

_To Be Continued..._

_AN: I'm guessing two more chapters at the most for this.  
Thank you once again for all of the reviews! I really appreciate it. I'm not online a lot anymore, so I don't have time to reply to each individually. There are some that I flagged which I will come round to, ;) just to say extra thanks. _

_A little bit of advertising: One of the reasons I'm now digging in and finishing this up is because I want to participate in NaNoWriMo in November. For those of you who do now know what it is, it's an international attempt from various writers to complete a 50000 word novel in one month. Because I can't post links here, I'd suggest that you google NaNoWriMo, it will take you directly to the website._

_This story must be done by then because I am either going to write its sequel for NaNo, or an original story of my own. It's a lot of fun to do, NaNo. Even if you don't win. I'd suggest having a look at it. :) _

_Thank you again for all the reviews and for all the people reading this. It's much appreciated. _

_Alyss _


	24. Base

**Chapter 24: Base.**

The reunion with the rest of her family was very emotional to say the least.

For a moment or two, all Kim could do was watch her father as he ran to the stretcher carrying her mother. Even with GJ's supersonic jet, it had been a long flight. Kim could not make herself say anything else to Ron and even when Wade finally popped up on the Kimmunicator, she could only manage single syllable answers. Her mother remained asleep up until an hour before they landed. Kim had stood up to go to the bathroom and when she came back she found her mother staring at her, her pale face framed by her red hair.

Kim felt like a little girl then, wishing that she could run to her mother and beg her to fix things. But she couldn't so she quietly went to sit beside the woman to take her hand. Her mother didn't say anything and Kim got the sense that, even if she was half-drugged and concussed, she knew what was going on in her daughter's head. Jeremy had moved back when Kim came closer to be with her mother, but Dr. Possible motioned to the young boy to come back to his place by her head, also taking his hand in hers.

"We'll help you figure something out," she had told the boy. "Don't worry – we'll take care of you."

She could see the relief in Jeremy's face immediately as he settled back by her mother, keeping his eyes downcast so that he did not have to look her in the eye. Ron had tried to meet her gaze then, to try and determine what she thought of her mother's proposition, but she refrained from looking at him.

They took her mother directly to Middleton hospital, where they were received by a hoard of Dr. Possible's colleagues who wanted to make sure that she was alright and of course, Mr. Dr. Possible who looked as if he had aged years in the time that Kim had been away from home.

He went to her mother first; his face drawn and unshaven, and took the pale woman's hand. It must've looked terrible; her being carried out of the plane on a stretcher, but Kim could see how her mother quickly reassured him with her light touch and brief, light smile. Her father's face seemed to relax immediately as he brought her mother's hand to his lips and kissed it briefly. They've always had a kind of magic, her parents, making Kim believe that two people could love each other and remain friends their whole lives. Her father would give the world to her mother and in turn, her mother never asked for it, never demanding more from her scatterbrained scientist than he could give. Kim appreciated and loved them for it, knowing that their relationship was the bedrock of her security.

When he turned away from her mother, Mr. Dr. Possible immediately looked around until he found his daughter. Kim flinched immediately when she saw the desperation in his face. She realized suddenly that it must've been very hard for him, not knowing where two of his family members were. It hadn't been fair of her just to disappear but she hoped that he would see it in the light of what she needed to do to bring her mother back.

Letting go of her mother's hand, Mr. Dr. P slowly came over to where his daughter was still standing on the ramp. Kim had to struggle not to squirm back when he came closer, his intense eyes still locked with hers. She felt Ron pat her shoulder from behind and walk down the ramp to one of the GJ agents he was friendly with, giving them some space. Kim had a feeling that if he had been protective of her after the whole Shego saga a couple of weeks ago, he was going to be absolutely stuck to her side from now on. Whether it was linked to his protective nature, or his insecurity over being abandoned, she would have to find out.

"Kimmie Cub," her father spoke softly at the bottom of the ramp, dragging her away from her thoughts. "Are you alright?"

He didn't come towards her, but stayed a length away – giving her the space to come to him when she was ready. Kim bit her lip, once again feeling the urge to cry like that little girl who believed that her parents could fix anything. She pushed it away though and for the first time felt a touch of embarrassment when she realized that she was still dressed in Shego's black cat suit.

It wasn't exactly the kind of thing you wanted your father to see you in.

"Kim?" Dr. Possible asked again, frowning worriedly when she didn't respond to his first question.

Kim shook herself and latched onto her self control with all the strength that she had.

"I'm alright Dad," she said, trying to appear unconcerned but failing horribly in the lie. "I'm just… very tired."

Her father studied her for a moment and then smiled gently, opening his arms in an invitation to a hug. "I can imagine," he said simply. "Come and greet your old man properly, it feels as if you have been gone for a lifetime."

_It did,_ Kim thought numbly as she walked down the ramp and embraced her father. When his arms wrapped around her securely, her resistance crumbled. She didn't sob, or cry devastatingly, but tears started flowing down her cheeks and she couldn't stop them.

Her father sensed it immediately and rubbed her back to comfort her as he used to when she was a little girl, making it all the worse.

"It's alright Kimmie Cub," he said softly. "It's over now – you've done it. You brought her back to us. You found her. It's okay…"

She stopped listening to his words, but wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled herself against him as tightly as he could.

Her father made a soothing sound as her body finally started shaking with silent sobs and carefully, smoothly, picked her up.

"Let's get you inside," he said. "Everything's going to be alright."

888

She returned to Drakken's lair, because in a strange way, she felt safe there.

Shego landed her jet in its designated parking spot next to Drakken's hovercraft and spent several minutes looking at her dashboard. She got up once, then sank down again, taking a deep breath to steady herself. Her ribs shifted, but they weren't as sore as they had been on the island. She knew that with time and rest, they would heal again. Whether she would have the time to take that was up to her employer.

As if summoned, a dark shape filled the doorway at the end of the hanger and leaned against the frame, waiting for her.

Shego looked at her boss and closed her eyes, knowing that he was too far away to see her facial expression. She then got up smoothly and splashed her face with some water from a bottle she had in the cockpit to try and eliminate all evidence of her crying earlier. As she left the plane, she made sure that there was no evidence of Kim Possible anywhere and calmly walked to her employer.

"Since when do I merit a welcoming committee?" she queried, slightly surprised that Drakken's face was more stoic than usual. She didn't slow down to chat to him, but continued to walk. Drakken in turn smoothly fell in step next to her, surprisingly quiet.

Feeling awkward, Shego glanced at the mad scientist and smiled crookedly. "What?" she queried. "Did you make yourself mute? What's up Dr. D?"

The man raised his unibrow and slowed his pace, forcing her to slow down with him if she wanted to know what he was brooding about.

"I trust you managed?" he queried, his tone as blank as his face.

Shego frowned slightly and gave her boss a questioning look. "Managed what?" she queried. "Either I've been away too long Dr. D, or you've stopped speaking normal. What are you on about?"

Her boss frowned for the first time. "Saving Kim Possible's mother," he said simply.

Shego's stomach dropped as she missed a step and gave him a questioning look.

"How..." She started to ask, but immediately cut herself short, realizing that it was a silly question. A lot of people saw her and Kim at the Bermuda Triangle, she would've been a fool to assume that nobody would feel the need to share – especially after their run in with Global Justice.

"I did," she said carefully, "what's it to you? Technically I'm still on holiday Dr. D. I can do with my time what I want." She realized that she sounded defensive, but her boss's attitude put her on edge.

Sure enough, he raised his unibrow again and put his hands behind his back, choosing to stare in front of him rather than at her.

"It's always good to know that you succeed in what you set out to do," he said simply. "As our success rate isn't always perfect... It's good to know that you are keeping in form."

Shego shifted awkwardly, not sure where he was going with this. "Ah, thanks." She said off handily. "I ah... Have to go unpack. If you'll excuse me?"

She turned away from him, but Dr. D stopped walking abruptly and gave her a very open and very direct look. His air wasn't disapproving, but there was an intense light in his eyes that she didn't like.

"It was a noble deed," he said. "And an admirable one. Very few people would have the honour of helping their enemy. Even if it is to repay a debt. It's something you and Kim Possible have in common. Among other things."

Shego turned to face him directly, determined to keep her face blank, but aware of her increased heart rate.

"What I do in my private time is none of your business," she snapped but immediately regretted it, realizing that her antagonistic attitude would only strengthen Drakken's insistence on discussing the matter.

"Of course," Dr. D responded, "as it should be. I would hate to share with you everything I do in my free time."

Shego shuddered impulsively. "You already do," she said dryly. "Listen Dr. D, as much as I like to stand here chatting to you, what's your point? What are you trying to tell me?"

The doctor's mouth thinned as he straightened up a little. "That I hope this business with being friendly with Kim Possible is finished," he said simply. "You have repaid your debt to her Shego, helping her even if you really didn't need to. Now, it's time to clear the slate and let _me_ write on it. I am going to need you in the weeks to come, and I need you to have an open mind. A clear mind. You cannot afford to be friendly with Kim Possible." His voice softened slightly. "For your sake and hers. It is a risk Shego."

Shego's mouth thinned as she struggled to retain her composure. Unbidden, her thoughts returned to the soft kisses Kim had planted on her neck as they made love to each other, the frightened yet daring look that had been in the cheerleader's eyes.

"This was purely a professional matter," she said in a collected voice. "Rest assured, I won't let the past few weeks cloud my judgement. You should give me more credit than that, Drakken, I thought you thought more of me."

Shego watched as his rigid attitude slowly melted away and his eyes became softer. "I think a lot of you, Shego," he said. "And, that is why I must say; let this go or you will force me to let you go. You cannot afford to be friendly with Kim Possible."

Shego's mouth thinned and for a moment she considered yelling at her employer. But, when she saw the truth in his eyes and heard the sense in his words, she sighed painfully and shrugged, trying to keep her expression blasé.

"Don't worry Dr. D," she said tiredly, "you're right. As of tonight, it will be as if these past few weeks never happened."

The blue faced man nodded shortly and left without another word, but Shego's gaze followed him, feeling the sinking sensation in her stomach.

She'd heard what he said and as much as it pained her to admit it, he really was right.

He was still her employer and in that, he wasn't just her financial security but he provided her with a strange sense of personal security as well. It was one of the reasons she had chosen to come back here. She needed to regroup and get perspective of the past couple of days.

And, maybe she needed a reality check.

888

James Timothy Possible was staring at his wife and daughter, who were both asleep in the hospital room. Ann had been admitted for a night's observation, having obtained a concussion in her time captive. His daughter wasn't admitted, but the hospital allowed her to sleep in the bed in her mother's room. He didn't know whether the doctor who had looked at her had given her a sedative or not, but he was grateful that she was sleeping. He could see that his daughter was exhausted.

There was shift behind him and when he turned around he saw Dr. Elizabeth Director come up with two agents by her side.

James kept himself from grimacing. He didn't know how he felt over Global Justice at the moment. They had given him and his family continuous support throughout these past couple of days, but they had also lost track of Kim and allowed her to get away with an international criminal. But, on the other hand, they also brought both his daughter and his wife back and for that he was very grateful.

So, he chose to smile at Dr. Director, thought it was a tired smile and not a very enthusiastic one at that.

She looked at him and smiled softly, when she reached his side – having motioned to her agents to stay back some distance. She was a handsome woman, rather than pretty and he could see that she had an iron strength in her. He knew that she cared about his daughter and for that, he could never think ill of her, only the institution for which she worked.

"Elizabeth," he said softly before he turned back to the window to look at his wife and daughter.

"Betty," she said softly. "Please. Are you well Dr. Possible?"

He nodded, relieved to be able to say it. "Thank you for your hand in bringing my family back safe," James said. "And call me James."

Dr. Director smiled and nodded sharply. "James," she said. "I can assure you, we played a very small role. There were other heroes in this story. Your daughter is a force to be reckoned with. I hope that she will one day decide to join Global Justice, she'd make a good agent."

James sighed softly and shrugged. Personally, he didn't want his daughter to continue with her life of crime fighting. He would like her to get married; preferably to someone she's got a long standing platonic friendship with.

"She'll do what she wants to do," he said. "Tell me Betty, what happened out there? Who is responsible for this? Why did they take my wife and why was it possible for my daughter to find her but you guys couldn't?"

Dr. Director nodded to herself and motioned to some of the chairs in the corridor.

"Would you like to sit down Dr. Possible?" she queried to which James shook his head immediately.

"I'd like to stay right here," he said shortly. "If you don't mind."

Dr. Director smiled slightly and nodded, "Of course," she said. "Well, as you know Dr. Possible – your daughter enlisted Shego's help. The woman had contacts and channels that we could not access. The criminal community is like a closed off network, where information is traded like stock shares. Shego clearly had the leverage to get the right information."

Dr. Possible glanced at her with a frown on his face.

"And what happened to Shego?" he queried. "Where is she now?"

The agents behind Dr. Director shifted uncomfortably, but the woman smiled amusedly and shrugged. "She escaped," she said. "There was nothing we could do."

Dr. Possible raised an eyebrow at her and glanced at the agents. His mouth thinned as he sighed softly and shook his head.

"I guess it's fitting this time," he said. "She did help my wife. Tell me Dr. Director, what about the people responsible for this?"

Dr. Director glanced at him and then took a step closer to the observation window so that she could have a better look at the two Possible women.

"Mr. William DuPont has been accused of kidnapping," she said simply. "When your wife and daughter are ready, my agents will get their statements so that we can process him and his staff properly. The doctor who worked with him, Caroline Hewitt will also be accused of malpractice and, along with Sandra Johnston, will be accused of assisting in kidnapping."

Dr. Possible's mouth thinned as he shifted his weight. "Tell me, Betty," he said slowly. "This man, DuPont, is he wealthy?"

The director made a considering sound as she nodded slowly. "Yes, Dr. Possible," she said. "But, I can see where you are going with this. He is not so wealthy that he will escape justice. What the man did to your wife was wrong and what he wanted to do to his son was even worse. We are also going to accuse him of child abuse and..."

James looked at her, cutting her words short. "I seem to remember my daughter mentioning that justice wasn't exactly served a couple of weeks ago," he pointed out coldly. "How can I trust that that won't happen again?"

Dr. Director blinked surprised and shook her head. "Trust me," she said. "No money in the world can buy DuPont out of his predicament. He will be sentenced accordingly Dr. Possible."

The man wasn't convinced but he left it at that. In truth he didn't really care, as long as his wife and daughter were safe. "My wife mentioned something about a boy," he said instead. "What about him?"

"Jeremy?" Dr. Director queried. "He will be put in protective custody as arranged by Global Justice. He is a very troubled young man and I think that it's very important that we give him only the best of care. He has no other family."

James sighed softly and nodded again. "Ann said that we should take care of him," he said slowly. "So if he needs a place to stay for a couple of days, he's welcome in my home."

Smiling at the kindness of the Possibles, Dr. Director nodded. "We'll keep that in mind, Dr. Possible," she said. "Thank you for your kind offer."

The man smiled at her in a long suffering kind of way and motioned to the door. "If we're done talking, I think that I'm going to go and sit with my family," he said. "And, I would like to personally apologize for what my sons did to your agents."

For the first time since he's known her, Dr. Director smiled in a beautifully amused way.

"Think nothing of it," she said. "I'm considering incorporating babysitting your sons as part of the new agent curriculum. They were warned."

Dr. Possible smiled briefly, though he didn't seem to share her amusement. Instead he sighed again and turned his attention back to the room. Elizabeth looked at him for a moment or two before she went over and briefly put a hand on his shoulder.

"What is it Dr. Possible?" she queried. "You seem troubled."

The man grimaced and glanced at his feet before he shrugged. "That is a very mild way of putting it," he pointed out and sighed. "But, sadly – I'm not sure I can explain this to you."

The woman smiled slightly and touched his arm before drawing back a little to give him space. "You are among the smartest men on the planet Dr. Possible," she said amused. "I'm sure you can manage."

The older man gave her a weak smiled before he turned back to the window. This time he only looked at his daughter, taking note of how she seemed tense now even in sleep.

"I am supposed to protect my family," he said quietly. "This is not my daughter's job. I can't help but wonder what price she will eventually have to pay for what she does. This is not the kind of life I would've chosen for her."

888

Kim woke up to the sound of a trolley being pushed into the room.

She blinked, and sat up surprised, feeling disorientated and sluggish. She had slept like the dead, so tired suddenly when her father picked her up that she could hardly speak a word of sense when the doctor questioned her. She knew that they didn't admit her and she remembered one of the nurses bringing her some slacks to put on but apart from that, her mind was a blank.

When she looked around her, she saw a nurse hovering by her mother's bed, checking her pulse and writing down her other stats. She smiled when she saw Kim looking at her and came over, her face calm and friendly.

"Good morning," she said. "How are you doing?

Kim blinked at her mother and sat up, taking a moment to collect herself before replying.

"I'm fine," she said. "I ah… How's my mother?"

The nurse glanced back to see that Dr. Possible had also woken up and was staring at them, her face still pale but looking miles better than she had when Kim last saw her.

"You can ask her yourself," she said. "I've brought you and your daughter breakfast Dr. Possible. I'll leave you two to chat."

Kim watched her leave then turned to her mother who gave her a weak smile.

"Morning Kimmie," the woman said softly and held out her hand, inviting her daughter to come closer.

Kim stood up quickly and had to take a moment to steady herself, seeing black spots in front of her eyes and feeling a massive pressure in her head. When it cleared, she went to her mother's bed and took the woman's hand.

"Hey," she said and took a deep breath to try and clear her head. "How are you feeling? Are you alright? You're still very pale."

Dr. Possible smiled and shook her head. "I'm fine Kimmie," she said. "I don't even know why they decided to keep me over night. I could've slept at home as well."

Kim swallowed and glanced around the room, seeing the flowers someone had brought them.

"They wanted to make sure that you're alright," she said. "You were… bad Mom. I think that damned woman really knocked the sense out of you."

Dr. Possible chuckled softly and glanced at the tray with her breakfast on. "Luckily my head's harder than most," she said. "Are you alright honey? When was the last time you ate?"

_With Shego…_

Kim blinked and swallowed, feeling her heart miss a beat when she thought of the villainess. She was still in GJ's custody. She had refused to try and escape… What were they doing to her right now?

"Ah," she paused. "I can't remember."

Her mother made a considering sound. "Well, then I suggest you pull that trolley closer and see what they brought us," she said and pushed herself up, fiddling for the bed's control so that she could raise the top. "Where is your father?"

Kim got up and went to the other side of the bed where the woman had left their breakfast.

"I haven't seen him," she said. "I don't know… But he won't be far."

Dr. Possible frowned slightly as her daughter put the breakfast tray on her bed's table and pushed it closer to her. "Do you know if he's alright?" she queried carefully, lifting up the cover to expose a full plate of food. She grimaced and promptly put the lid back on.

Kim glanced at her mother and sighed, leaving her own plate on the tray and rather sitting down by her mother's feet. "I don't know mom," she confessed. "I only saw him briefly last night." She paused and grimaced, unable to look at the woman directly. "I'm sorry for leaving him and the twins. I know that... I'm supposed to take care of them when you're not around but... I felt it was more important to find you."

Dr. Possible blinked at her in surprise and then smiled gently and moved her foot so that she could poke her daughter in the back. "Darling," she said. "Needless to say, I'm very glad that you found me. Thank you. I can't..." Her mother's voice threatened to break but she recovered quickly. "It meant a lot to me, that you found me. I knew that you would, from the beginning, I held onto that thought. Thank you."

Kim looked at her mother, her face twisted in a grimace as she once again found herself fighting tears. _What the hell is wrong with me?_

"I couldn't have done it without Shego," she said softly, her heart aching. "She did so much for me Mom. I... I wish there was... I mean, I know we're even now. But... She's with Global Justice now. They've captured her and..." She trailed off and shook her head, angry suddenly. "She helped me Mom and they caught her for it. Because of me, she's now in custody. She does something good for once and now they will punish her for it."

Ann sighed, understanding her daughter's misery. Growing up and seeing the world for what it was, was a very hard thing to do.

"I'm sorry hun," she said. "I don't know if there's anything that we can do but... We can try. Your father and I do have connections..." She trailed off, unsure of what she was saying. The sad fact was that Shego was a criminal and although she had played an important role in her rescue, she had also played an important role in several crimes. There was no denying that, despite her daughter's sudden change of heart about the woman.

Kim shook her head miserably and pulled her own breakfast tray closer so that she could pick at it. "There's nothing we can do Mom," she said, still hurting. "We can't go up against Global Justice."

As she finished her sentence, the door opened revealing her father and the two terrors that were her brothers.

"Who are we going up against?" Jim asked as he bounded over to his mother's side.

"Are we still fighting Global Justice?" Tim asked as he followed his brother, then quickly moved to the other side of the bed as his father came into the room as well.

"Boys," the man said, the lines that had been on his face the night before all but gone as he looked at his whole family, smiling. "There will be no fighting Global Justice. Not anymore. You're lucky they didn't make a case the first time."

The twins started to protest in a chorus but Ann reached out and put a gentle hand on each of their heads, her eyes fond and proud. "Quiet you two," she said amused. "Hello, Dr. Possible."

Kim watched as her father's face went from smiling to positively beaming as he went over and kissed his wife on the cheek. "Dr. Possible," he said as he straightened up. "You look much better."

"I feel much better," Ann said as she sat up a little straighter and smiled at her family. "Seems all I needed was a little rest."

She moved so that both of the boys could get up onto the bed and sit beside her. "Dad said that you took them out fighting,"

Ann laughed and glanced at her husband. "I tried," she admitted. "But if it wasn't for your sister I wouldn't have gotten out on my own steam." She motioned to the hospital room. "You see what comes from fighting."

She smiled at her boys as they shook their heads. "You just didn't know how to do it right," the two said together. "We'll show you," Jim continued. "We know all the moves, we've been practicing on Global Justice." His brother took over from him without missing a breath. "And we've made you some things you can use for self defence," Tim added. "They work."

Ann laughed and shook her head, touching each of her sons proudly. "I don't think that will be necessary boys," she said and glanced at her daughter who was sitting at the end of the bed, looking at them quietly. Her father saw Ann's gaze slip to their daughter and moved over to put an arm around his eldest.

"How you doing Kimmie Cub?" he queried. "Did you sleep well?"

Kim blinked and mentally shook herself. "Like a rock," she confessed. "I still feel as if I've just crawled out from underneath one…"

"You look like it too," Jim piped up but received a warning look from both his parents. Kim ignored her brother and continued.

"But I'm alright Dad." She smiled, hoping that it looked convincing.

Her father smiled at her and briefly pulled Kim closer. "Well," he said conversationally. "I think it's a good thing that you rest as much as you can. No doubt you'll be back to work in no time. Dr. Director told me that Shego's already out. They couldn't even keep her in custody for a day..." He trailed off when he felt his daughter stiffen in his grip.

"She's out?" she asked surprised. "Did you say Shego managed to escape?"

Her brothers blinked and frowned at her. "Don't sound so happy about it," Tim piped in. "She's mean."

Kim glanced at her brother but then quickly turned back to her father. "Is she out Dad?" she queried. "Did she really manage to escape?"

"Yes," her father said, surprised at her tone and even more surprised when he saw his wife settle back in the bed, smiling sadly. "I didn't think you would be smiling about it."

Kim couldn't hold her smile back any longer.

"I know," she said. "I'm sorry I…" She got up quickly and moved to the cabinet next to the bed she had been sleeping on. "I just am. She helped us. She helped our family. I don't care what people say... She..." She bit her lip and looked at the assembled Possibles. "I ah... I want to go home and have a shower. And wear my own clothes. And just get out of this hospital."

Jim's eyes narrowed. "And?" he queried.

"And what?" Kim asked surprised.

"Well," Tim continued his brother's conversation. "You've had so many 'ands' in a row that we're sure there's another one lurking around somewhere."

Kim shook her head and smiled, pleased to find not only Shego's cat suit that she had gotten for her but the watch that she had given to her as well.

"No more," Kim said. "I just... want to go home. I feel as if I've been gone for ages."

Her parents shared a look as James shrugged and reached into his pockets to find his car keys. "Well, I'll take you back," he said. "Your mother can do some babysitting in my absence. Are you up for that honey?" He smiled at his wife who waved him off.

"Of course," she said. "I can do a better job incapacitated than you can. Can you bring me some clothes as well James? If they don't discharge me after the next doctor's round I'm doing it myself."

Her husband smiled at her and rolled his eyes mockingly as Kim went to her mother's side to give her a brief hug and a kiss. "See you later mom," she said. "I'm glad your back. Tweebs, take care of her." She smiled at her brothers who were still looking at her suspiciously.

"Your face is flushed," Jim pointed out as Kim joined her father's side.

Kim shrugged and opened the door, trying to hurry her father out of the room with her presence.

"I'm happy," she said simply. "Everything is as it should be."

888

Nothing felt right and nothing felt as it should be. Even the pandaroo that she had kept with her for comfort the past couple of weeks seemed to stare at her accusingly. Shego didn't know what to think anymore, didn't know what to do.

She had tried to order her thoughts, tried to put the past couple of days into perspective. She had hoped that in the safety of her own room, the protection of Drakken's lair she would find the peace of mind that she needed to get a grip on herself but the longer she laid in the quiet of her room, the noisier her thoughts became. She had hoped that she was confused and that she just had to get some rest in order to clear her mind but it wasn't to be.

When Shego dreamed, she dreamed of _her_. When she woke up, she wished that she was with _her._ When she opened her eyes and saw the small pandaroo beside her bed, all she could do was imagine holding _her_ as she could hold it.

There was no denying it, no trying to think her way out of it.

Shego knew without a doubt that she was in love with Kim Possible.

_To Be Continued…_

_AN: I have really earned my salary this week. The amount of hours that I put in was shocking. A lot of firsts for me as well. Giving training. Going to conventions. Crazy stuff. Crazy Chicken stuff, lol.  
Anyway. My thanks to my Beta Tenchi Knight and my friend PixieJenn for going through this with me. I'm terribly tired so I missed a lot of stuff, lol. Let's hope it's all ironed out.  
I don't like to make this sort of statements but: This might be the second last chapter. I think I can wrap this one up in just one more.  
Yes. There will be a sequel. _

_Thank you everybody. _

_Alyss_


	25. Dark Night

**Chapter 25: Dark Night.**

Kim couldn't wait for her father to leave when they got home, but to her consternation, he decided to hover around for a little bit before he returned to her mother.

Fathers were good at hovering. It was one of the things that they did best when they didn't know how to deal with a conversation or, for that matter, start one. She could tell he wanted to speak to her about something, but he was having difficulty saying it and she wasn't ready to talk because she had other things in mind. She managed to stop him from following her into her room by telling him that she wanted to get dressed and take a shower. It vexed her that he stuck around and hovered outside the bathroom door when she came out. She was about to snap when she noticed a change in his demeanour, signalling he had decided how to broach the topic.

"Kimmie Cub," he said softly at the bottom of her room's stairwell and looked up just as she was about to go to her closet. "When you're finished, can I come up?"

Relieved he finally decided what he wanted to say, Kim smiled at him and motioned to him to come up. "Sure," she said. "Why don't you come and sit with me – I just need to do my hair."

The scientist looked simultaneously relieved and awkward as he followed her up the steep stairs and cleared himself a spot on her bed to sit down. Her room was still exactly as she had left it when she went to meet Shego.

Kim refrained from looking at her father as she thought of the woman, wondering how things could feel and look so different after just a few days. She felt older, wiser. It was as if a part of the world had been opened to her that she never knew existed. It was exhilarating and frightening at the same time.

_She's out..._ Kim thought as she went to the mirror and brushed her hair while keeping an eye on her father as he picked up the pandaroo on her bed. _If you make a comment on that, you're a dead dad..._

"Honey," her father spoke so suddenly she almost jumped. "Thank you for bringing your mother back to me... To us. You did an incredible job according to Global Justice."

Despite herself, Kim flinched and grimaced as she glanced at him through her hair, rhythmically brushing it as to appear unconcerned.

"What else did they say?"

Dr. Possible shrugged and put the pandaroo on his knee as he used to when she was a little girl. She wanted to tell him to be careful with it, because it was a little threadbare, but she refrained from doing so with iron self-control. _I can stop sleeping with it whenever I want..._

"Not much else," her father said as he gently stroked the panda/kangaroo hybrid. "Betty said that Mr. DuPont will be tried for kidnapping and that you and your mother will have to testify. The doctor who helped him will have her licence revoked and tried for kidnapping and assault with a deadly weapon."

Kim glanced at him with a frown and pushed her hair out of her face. "Is that it?" she queried. She hadn't spoken to Dr. Director at all since they had left the island. Although she hated to admit it to herself, she was worried about Global Justice's actions towards her. She hadn't acted accordingly and it wouldn't take a lot for Mr. DuPont to realize that he could have her accused of assault. Global Justice could make it disappear of course, they had that kind of power, but if they didn't want to help her...

"Yes," her father said calmly, unaware of her worried inner dialogue. "And then she told me that Shego's escaped, which I gather you're pretty happy about."

_Shoot,_ Kim thought as she schooled her face to calm.

"She helped me Dad," she said as she carefully put her brush down and moved to lean against her closet door. "I feel that it's only fair. I mean – if she did something wrong, sure, arrest her. But don't arrest her for the one thing she did _right_."

To her surprise, her father smiled at her. "You surprise me every day Kimberlee," he said slowly. "I think that it was a very brave thing that you did, asking Shego for help."

Stunned by his words, Kim shrugged and turned back to the mirror. "I had no choice Dad," she said. "I needed to find Mom. Global Justice was dragging their feet and time was moving away from us. I did what I had to do, and luckily – everything worked out well in the end."

Her father nodded, but she could tell that something she said had caught his attention.

"Kim," he said slowly. "I think it's time you stop doing what you feel you have to do. You're a kid or... A teenager. Do what you want to do."

Puzzled now, Kim gave her father a small smile. "What do you mean Dad?" she said. "I do what I want to do all the time. It's a privilege of the under-twenties apparently."

Her father chuckled but his heart wasn't in it. "Enjoy it," he said. "But, you see Kimmie, what I mean is that... I want you to stop fighting crime." The last came out quick and blurted out, the words stumbling from him and stopping Kim dead in her train of thought.

"What?" she queried surprised. "Dad?"

The man shifted, his eyes worried as he looked at the pandaroo. "It's not... a game anymore Kim." He said slowly. "It stopped to be a long time ago. I mean... it was cute in the beginning but... It's reaching that point where you're going to get hurt."

Kim mused over his words for a few moments and then shook her head. "Dad," she said patiently. "Nothing's changed. What happened to Mom had nothing to do with me; I won't ever put this family in harm's way."

Dr. Possible sighed and stood up, walking to his daughter so that he could rest his hands on her shoulders. "Things have changed," he said. "You've changed, Kimmie. I think it's time to call it a day. Let the world save itself for a change, you have a life to live."

Kim blinked and squirmed out of his grip. "I... It's not like that Dad," she said. "I mean... I do it because I want to. It's no more dangerous now than it was three months ago and I like it..." She trailed off and turned her face away, thinking about Shego. "Or, I used to."

Her father smiled at her sadly. "Just... Think about it," he said. "I know you will. This was a great hobby Kimmie and not a day goes by that I am not proud of you. You have shown your mother and me that you will be an amazing, accomplished young woman. I don't want this to ruin you."

Kim sighed softly and smiled at her father, patting his shoulder reassuringly. "It won't, Dad," she said. "I'll think about what you said alright? You should get back to Mom, I don't want the twins wearing her out. I'm going to Ron."

She could see the relief in her father's gaze. "Thank you for not shooting it down, Kim." He said softly. "I really think it's time you quit this job. While you're ahead..."

She sighed softly, then smiled at him to put his mind at ease. "Perhaps," she said. "We'll see what happens, Dad. You never know."

888

She was still in bed when the message came through...

Shego sat up awkwardly and looked at the corner where she had thrown her clothes, listening to the mechanical squawk of the tiny radio.

"Shego?" Kim Possible's voice was hushed. "Shego are you there?"

Shego remained on her side of the room, looking towards the corner. Grimacing she pulled her knees up and hugged them to her chest.

"Shego?" Kim's voice came again. "Shego are you there?"

She felt herself leaning to get off of the bed, but stopped herself and waited, still looking at the corner.

"Shego?" Kim sighed suddenly and the sound went dead.

Shego took a deep breath and rested her cheek on her knee. Clearly, the young woman now knew that she was out. Her voice had sounded light and playful, almost as if she was calling to a neighbourhood friend and planning mischief. The teenager's world was at peace again, her family reunited. Shego wished that she could say the same.

She knew that Kim was trying to contact her in order to try and discuss their _relationship_ if it could be called that.

The idea frightened Shego because for the first time in her life, she didn't know what to say.

_How did this happen?_ She thought as she lay down again, looking at the pandaroo that was still on her bedside table, untouched. _How did I allow myself to fall for her like this? Was it because she's vulnerable? Because she needed my help? Is this my suppressed hero speaking? How could it be that I fell in love with her? _

There were no answers and no solutions in the dim light of her room. Shego grimaced and pulled herself up into a tight bundle when her cell phone rang. She jumped surprised and fumbled for it instinctively, though she didn't answer it immediately, realizing that it might be Kim Possible. When she checked her Caller ID, she saw that it was Drakken instead and grumbled to herself as she took the call.

"I'm sleeping," she said by way of answering. "I'm not on till tomorrow."

"Shego!" Drakken snapped on the other side. "My sensors picked up a strange signal entering our facility! I think we've been bugged!"

Shego sighed and rolled her eyes as she settled back onto her pillow. "It was harmless, it was one of my equipment and I'll turn it off right now." She half considered throwing some of her plasma towards the little radio but realized if she did so she would burn her clothes. _Decisions, decisions._

"Yes but Shego!" Drakken started but she ended the call and sighed, pulling herself into a small bundle wishing that she could just sleep through her life until it sorted itself out.

When the phone rang again, she growled and answered it immediately. "Drakken, I said I'll deal with it!"

There was a pause on the other side. "Deal with what?"

Shego sat up with a start, immediately grabbing her ribs for support. "Kim?" she queried, hating herself for feeling excited and stupid at the same time. She heard the teen hero take a nervous breath but she could hear the gentle smile in her voice as she replied.

"Ah, yes. Hello."

There was an awkward pause. Biting her lip, Shego slowly pushed herself up again and turned on her bedroom light.

"What can I do for you Pumpkin?" She queried, hoping that her voice gave nothing away about the emotions that she was feeling.

She heard Kim swallow dryly and shift.

"I ah…" She paused. "I want to see you again Shego, I heard that you escaped from Global Justice and… I'm so pleased for you. I mean… I didn't want them to take you after you helped me and…" She was babbling, her nerves doing nothing for Shego's own. "What are you doing tonight?"

The question caught her off guard.

"I ah… Nothing," she said shortly. "Listen Kimmie I don't…"

The teenager interrupted her. "Can we see each other then? Please? I want to see you again Shego. And I can sneak out tonight."

Shego closed her eyes, wishing that she didn't hear the excited hope in Kim's voice. "Alright," she said finally. "I guess… We have to talk. I'll tell you where you should meet me."

The relief in Kim's voice almost broke her heart. "Okay," she said brightly. "Thank you Shego! I'm looking forward to seeing you again."

She hung up before Shego could reply, leaving her staring at the telephone. She was sure that she had heard Ron Stoppable's voice at the end of the line – asking Kim who she was talking to. Breathing out a breath she didn't know she was holding, Shego ran her hands through her hair.

"What am I going to do?" she whispered, looking at the pandaroo. "What am I going to tell her?"

At the thought of seeing Kim Possible, she could feel her heart start to beat more excited and the butterflies mutating to frogs in her stomach that bounced around. She was like a school girl with a crush on her favourite teacher, her palms sweating at the thought of touching Kim again, however briefly.

"Gods," Shego whispered as she put her head back into her hands and took a deep breath. "I can't do this. I can't see her again."

It was going to ruin everything.

888

Kim spent the day with Ron, more for his sake than her own.

She was determined to try and reassure him that everything was alright and that it would return back to normal. He seemed too happy to drag her to Bueno Nacho, recapping his side of the adventure and telling her how much more efficient they were than Global Justice. The conversation was mostly one sided, with Kim only making the right amount of listening sounds to have Ron think that she was still paying attention. Ron also gave her back her Kimmunicator, which had he had kept for her ever since she left it in the parking lot. Its familiar weight seemed foreign in her pocket and she avoided contacting Wade, worried that the ten year old would take her time with Shego worse than Ron did. He also had a very strong sense of right and wrong and, although he was smarter than the two of them, his maturity was a bit lacking sometimes. She didn't want to hurt him.

They avoided the subject of Shego and Ron seemed to have forgiven her for leaving him behind so she didn't want to push things. None the less, she couldn't help but feel that he was avoiding an issue, avoiding a conversation he wanted to have but couldn't find the courage to start. Frightened that it might have something to do with the villainess, Kim didn't pursue the matter.

When they went to visit her mother in the hospital, Kim found out with a touch of relief that the woman was going to be released that evening, on the condition that she saw a trauma counsellor before she left. Kim thought that it was a very good idea though, when it was suggested that she see the counsellor as well, she balked and firmly stated that it wasn't necessary.

It was only on the trip back from the hospital that Ron finally fell completely silent, the one-way conversation ending abruptly when they entered their neighbourhood. Kim watched him, feeling a little bit worried as he stared out the bus window. Rufus hadn't come out to look at her once and she suspected that the mole rat took her abandoning of his friend very serious. She sighed and looked at the people around them. She couldn't remember the last time they had paid for a bus trip as more than half the city's bus drivers owed them a favour for one thing or the other.

She glanced at her watch, feeling a touch of anticipation when she realized that it was almost time for her to start getting ready to see Shego. The woman had sent her a text message telling her to meet her at the university campus in Upperton. It was quite far from Kim, but she didn't mind as the chances of them being seen together were less there than here in Middleton.

"I'm glad your mother's alright."

Kim blinked when Ron finally spoke up again and glanced at him only to find that he was already looking at her. She blushed when she realized that she had completely lost track of time and that he might well have been staring at her for a while now.

"Me too," she said and smiled at him before looking at the other passengers again. She had a feeling that someone was watching her, but she suspected it was because she felt guilty at the thought of abandoning Ron again to go to Shego. "Everything worked out well in the end."

Ron smiled at her, but didn't speak up immediately. He sighed and to her surprise, closed the pocket in which Rufus was sleeping so that the mole rat couldn't come out.

"Tell me something Kim," he said slowly. "And you can be honest. I won't take offence. Did you like working with Shego?"

Kim felt her stomach do a back flip and nodded slowly. "Yes," she said. "I'm ah… Well. You know. It was different Ron. She does things very differently, without really needing to consider how the things that she does affects people. There's a kind of freedom in that that…" She paused and found herself blushing, realizing that it might not be the answer her friend wanted. "That comes with too little responsibility in my opinion," she finished lamely. "You have to consider the consequences of your actions." She sighed and judging by the look that Ron gave her, he wasn't convinced of her conviction.

Kim sighed again and briefly touched her friend's knee.

"The truth is Ron, that although I liked working with her, it was also a lot more stressful. I never knew when Shego was going to abandon me or when she was going to stab me in the back. She might've helped me, but she didn't support me, not the way that you do. That was as stressful as it was exhilarating working with her 'no consequences' actions." She paused suddenly, remembering her deal with Big Daddy Brotherson. She stopped herself from cringing; telling herself firmly that she did what she had to do to get her mother back.

Ron missed her shift in emotion as he was staring at her hand on his knee. Glancing at her, he carefully took it and squeezed it, gently entwining his fingers with hers.

"I wouldn't want that life," he said softly. "There's always a price to pay."

Kim had to agree, but she didn't say anything but pulled him up. "This is our stop," she said and raised her voice a little. "Thanks for the lift, Angus!"

The bus driver, an African American man close to retirement, tipped his hat with a smile and waved them off. "It's the least I can do after you helped me with that flat tire," Angus said. "Who knew that your hair dryer's that powerful?"

Kim laughed and pulled Ron out of the bus. "It never ceases to amaze me. Thank you!"

They stepped out onto the street and waited for the bus to leave. It was only when it disappeared around the corner when Kim realized that they were still standing hand in hand. She blinked surprised and carefully allowed her hand to slip from Ron's. To her surprise though, he didn't let go of her hand immediately but turned to look at her, his brown eyes filled with a depth she wasn't used to seeing in him.

"Tell me something Kim," he asked. "That night when you left to go to Shego... Why did you kiss me?" He let her hand slip from his and waited for her answer.

Kim blinked at him numbly; so much had happened in between that she had almost forgotten about it.

"I ah..." She paused, her mouth dry and her face suddenly aflame. "I don't know Ron."

He too blinked at her answer and shifted, rubbing his elbow awkwardly.

"You don't know?" he queried in a small voice to which she had to nod.

"No," she said. "I... I don't know what happened, Ron. It was..." She didn't know what to say. "Not planned."

Ron laughed suddenly, finding relief in her words which she didn't know she gave. "Good!" he said. "Because honestly KP, I don't know what happened there either. I was a bit like... Whoa, what the hell?" He smiled his characteristic goofy smile playing across his features. "Not that it was bad you know, but we're best friends."

Kim chuckled, though she didn't feel any better. "Ah yeah, it was weird wasn't it?" she forced a laugh. "This whole week has been weird."

"Yeah." Ron said and chuckled though this time she could hear that his was a bit forced as well. "Weird."

"Yeah." Kim agreed and paused.

They looked at each other and slowly but surely Ron's face sobered.

"So..." He hesitated. "You didn't mean it."

Kim almost moaned. "No, no it's not like that Ron," she swallowed and struggled for words. "I mean... Ron, I love you. You're my best friend. I didn't _not_ mean it. I just... It just happened. I'm sorry if you didn't like it."

Ron held up his hands quickly. "No, no no!" he said quickly. "No, I didn't mean it that way KP, I mean – I liked it a lot. I mean... You're a beautiful girl and all. And... Well... But... We're best friends. Like you said. I love you of course. But... As a friend."

They stared at each other and for the first time, Kim felt as if they weren't communicating at all and they knew it. But, they both seemed to be saying the same thing so... She forced a smile.

"So, we're cool?" she queried.

Ron laughed immediately and shrugged. "Of course," he exclaimed. "I mean. We are right? That was just an accident and a result of what's been one crazy week."

Kim swallowed and forced herself to relax. "Yes," she said. "This has all been so full of drama. We were just completely taken with it."

"Yeah," Ron agreed and seemed to relax a bit. "That's good. I just wanted to know you know. In case there's a misunderstanding."

Kim shook her head quickly. "No misunderstanding," she said. "Listen ah... I've gotta go. I'm tired and I want to make sure that the house is clean and..." She paused, dreading her next words and hoping that she was going to be right as to their outcome. "You're welcome to come with me of course, I can always use an extra hand with the cleaning."

Ron held up his hands quickly. "Nope, sorry KP," he said with a smile. "It's been established that I love you but, you know – there's limits. You're on your own in your house, I don't trust anything lying around there with your brothers and all."

Kim smiled. "Fair enough," she said, relieved that Ron responded as she expected him to. "I'll see you around Ron."

He smiled at her and nodded. "See ya Kim. It's good to have you back."

Kim nodded at him, but didn't feel very confident when she said.

"It's good to be back."

888

It was past midnight when Kim finally found her way into Upperton University's grounds. She was all alone, surprised to find that not even campus security were around.

Grimacing, hugging her arms to her chest, Kim slowly moved over to some abandoned benches and sat down on one of them. She was happy to be alone for a few moments, glad that she had made it here safe without anybody following her. She was a little bit worried about the discussion she had had with Ron. They said that everything was fine but… It worried her. She couldn't put her finger on it exactly, but Ron had looked too hopeful for lack of a better way of describing it.

_The prom's coming on,_ Kim thought suddenly. _We'll probably go together._ She grimaced, wishing suddenly that she had more options than taking her best friend. But, as she had told her mother before all of this started, boys were afraid of her. Or, not being afraid of her but most certainly intimidated.

Although she was a cheerleader and always praised for how hot she looked, nobody ever approached her with date proposals. The closest she had come to a boyfriend in the past two years was Josh Mankey and _that_ turned out to be a disaster.

The truth was that she hadn't been all that into him though she had wished that she was. She could never understand what had happened though, why she had just suddenly realized one day that she didn't want to date him.

_It's because you're gay,_ her subconscious told her but Kim pushed the thought away.

_I'm not gay,_ she thought. _I just… really have a thing for Shego._

She blushed in the dark, remembering the woman's touch. It wasn't something she would soon forget. She was about to look at her watch to see what the time it was when she heard a noise from behind the trees close to her.

She turned in the noise's direction, expecting Shego but to her surprise she saw a tall, bulky silhouette come her way. She frowned and jumped up immediately when she recognized the man as Big Daddy Brotherson's body guard. She wanted to ball her fists and prepare herself for a fight, but quickly stilled her nerves, knowing that she wouldn't be playing by the rules if she did.

"Quiet night out?" she queried to which the man merely grunted. "What can I do for you?"

The man stopped at the other end of the bench and put his hands flat on it so that she could see he wasn't armed.

"Big Daddy wants to know when you'll roll your dice."

_Short and to the point._

Kim struggled to keep her face stoic. "When I have it," she said. "You can reassure him, I haven't forgotten about our deal."

The man grunted again, turning around abruptly and disappearing back into the night. Kim grimaced and shook her head at herself. She was about to sit down again when a small noise behind her made her turn around.

Shego stood across from her, her face blank and her hands pushed deep into the pockets of a stylish dark leather jacket. Her gaze flicked in the direction that Big Daddy's man had gone off in before she turned back to Kim.

"Playing with the big boys now I see." Her tone was blank, devoid of all emotion.

Despite that though, Kim immediately felt better for seeing her.

"Shego," she said with a smile and immediately went over to her, feeling giddy with excitement. "It's good to see you."

Shego raised an eyebrow but before she could comment Kim hugged her tightly, breathing in the mixture of Shego's perfume and the smell of her leather jacket. It felt good, touching her again.

Kim felt Shego sigh softly and briefly touch the small of her back, breathing deeply as if taking in her own scent.

"Have you paid Big Daddy yet?" she queried and gently pushed Kim away from her so that she could look at her.

Kim grimaced, unable to keep herself from shivering. "Later," she said. "I will, of course, naturally. We had a deal and I'll keep to it, things have just been so crazy at home..."

There was a brief flash of sadness in Shego's features as she sighed and sat down on the wooden table. "Don't hesitate," she said. "People like that soon decide that they might not get paid and need to extract their own payment. You don't want that, Kim."

Kim quickly shook her head. She wanted to sit down next to Shego, but something in the woman's closed off body language made her hesitate.

"I'll pay him," she said. "Don't worry."

Shego snorted and shrugged, then sat back slightly so that she could look beyond Kim, her green eyes searching the darkness. "Fine by me if you don't," she said. "You're deal."

Kim frowned and unconsciously crossed her arms in front of her chest, unsure of Shego's attitude. She had thought that the woman would be happy to see her, but so far she had not shown so much as an acknowledgement that they were more than just acquaintances. They looked at each other in silence until Kim shifted uncomfortably.

"I'm glad that you managed to escape from GJ," she said, repeating what she had said earlier. "It wouldn't have been right if you got caught for helping me."

Shego shrugged, her green eyes finally meeting Kim's.

"Are we going anywhere with this?" she queried abruptly.

Frowning, Kim shook her head. "What do you mean?" she asked puzzled.

Shego sighed, sounding exasperated. "You said you wanted to see me Pumpkin, there must be a reason."

Kim shrugged, shivering in the cold she didn't feel before. "I just wanted to see if you're alright," she said softly. "And hear when we're going to see each other again."

Shego raised a perfectly shaped eyebrow and crossed her legs, her eyes still sharp. "Why would we want to do that?" she queried dryly.

Completely puzzled by her behaviour, Kim shrugged and carefully reached out to touch Shego's knee.

"Well, because we..." Shego's eyes narrowed, making her falter. "Well, we're you know. We." She couldn't understand why Shego was so closed off suddenly.

Shego looked at her for a long time her gaze finally settling on a look of pity. "There's no 'we' Pumpkin if that's what you're implying. We slept together. It was fun. We had a wild adventure and now, it's time to part ways again. You do not belong in my world, and I certainly don't want to be a part of yours."

Her last words hurt so much that Kim found herself standing there, absolutely speechless.

"Shego," she managed after a while. "Shego, what are you saying? I thought... I mean... You... It's not right."

"No?" Shego queried and twisted her head to the side. "Neither is life Princess, and the sooner you learn that, the better it will be."

Kim looked at her numb struck and closed her eyes. "Shego," she insisted. "I... I didn't just sleep with you because it was part of the adventure. I thought it meant something."

Shego looked at her, half amused, half exasperated. "This is the real world Kimmie, an _act of love_ doesn't necessarily mean something." She paused. "It didn't to me."

Kim took an involuntary step back.

"I don't believe you," she said, her mouth dry with shock. "Why are you saying this Shego? Are you scared people might discover us? I'll be careful. We'll be careful. This can... work."

In the dark light, she thought she saw Shego falter but her words showed Kim that she was wrong.

"There is nothing that can work, Cupcake," Shego said coldly. "Look. Kid. It was good, I'll give you that. But, I'm saying this because I've had enough babysitting you for these past few days. To do that for longer? Please." Her tone went acid like only Shego's could. "You said that you'll be careful? Were you careful when you were captured at DuPont's? Were you careful when you negotiated your deal with Big Daddy Brotherson? Or when you allowed your own, personal emotions to interfere when we had DuPont hostage? Were you careful when you almost strangled him in a rage?"

She waited for Kim to answer but the teenager stared at her in silence, her eyes wide with horror.

Shego smiled slightly and shook her head with a satisfied sound. "I didn't think so," she said. "If you want to play at being gay, Kimmie, go grab one of your cheerleader friends. You'll be surprised how willing some of them might be."

Kim blinked horrified that she felt warm tears cascade down her cheeks. "Shego," she whispered. "I... want you. Why did you do this to me?"

Shego shrugged as she hopped off of the bench and slipped her hands into her pockets. "Because I could," she said. "Because you forgot one thing when you set out on this venture and that is that I'm still your opponent. You lost sight of the fact that tomorrow or the day after you and I will probably face each other on opposite sides."

She started to walk away, but Kim—desperate to try and understand how things had gone so wrong so quickly—grabbed her by her arm and pulled her back. Shego reacted in an instant, launching Kim away with her powers as she pulled her arm from the young woman's grip.

Kim flew back against the bench and stayed there, not unconscious, but unable to move from the magnitude of emotions milling around inside her.

Shego looked at her and snorted, slipping her hand back into her jacket pocket.

"See you around Kim Possible," she said and turned her back on the young woman. "Remember, we're even now."

888

_AN: Okay, I miscalculated. One more. Just One. It will (must!) be up by the end of the week. Hope you guys enjoyed this, thank you for all the reviews once again. My thanks to PixieJenn, TenchiKnight and noncynic (who I don't thank enough thinking about it) for ironing out my rough work. _

_For those of you who've missed it – there will be a sequel for this story. It might appear through November if I decide to do it for NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month – 1 months, 1 novel, 50000 words...)otherwise, you'll have it for December. :) _

_Have a good one, _

_Alyss_


	26. Epilogue: So the Drama

**Epilogue: So the Drama. **

By the time that she reached the lair, Shego was struggling to breathe, her vision bluured by tears. Her chest throbbed with angst and when she tried to get up from the cockpit, her knees buckled and she had to sit down again.

When she closed her eyes, all she could see was the devastated look on Kim Possible's face as she told her off.

"What have I done," she whispered, her breath coming in short, painful gasps, "what have I done, what have I done, what have I done?"

She closed her eyes and leaned forward, resting her head on her knees so that she could grip her hair and pull at it, hoping that the pain would distract her from the anguish in her chest but it didn't.

She didn't think that it would hurt this much.

Shego felt that she did what she had to do, not only for her own sake but for Kim's as well. She had figured that it would be best if she ended it now, before they both got sucked down into something neither of them could control the consequences of. It didn't make her feel any better and she wished that there was some other way she could've dealt with it but a clean break was the best for both of them.

Shego knew that if she had given Kim a scrap of hope that the relationship was possible, the teen hero would've grabbed it with both hands and held onto it. Every time they meet, every time they fight or confront each other, she would then have to deal with that hope and Shego knew that _she_ wasn't strong enough.

She cared for Kim too much.

So this way, in her mind, was the only manner in which she could've resolved it. Kim would be hurt and for a few days or weeks it would be the focus of all the drama in her life, but then she would get over it and move on. People Kim's age worked that way when they realize in the brutal playing field of high school that a broken heart wasn't fatal.

She'd move on and maybe even be a little bit more cautious afterwards to whom she offered her heart so freely.

Closing her eyes to wipe away her tears, Shego finally found the strength to push herself up and return to her room, hoping that she wasn't going to meet Drakken along the way.

_I did her a favour,_ Shego thought bitterly as she all but limped to her room. _Loving me is the last thing she wants to do, I corrupt everything that I touch. Look at what happened to Teryl. She was a good person before she met me and my powers and my life twisted her. I can't let that happen to Kim, she's too much like me..._

In her room now, Shego looked around and started to move towards her bed but she didn't make it. Instead, she sank down by her closet, overcome by a fresh wave of tears when she saw the small pandaroo waiting for her beside her bed, its gaze accusing.

Again, Shego found herself questioning her actions, wondering if she had done the right thing and knowing, with a bitter, cutting truth that she hadn't. Pushing her back against her closet, she wrapped her arms around her legs and sobbed again, feeling lonelier than she had ever done before in her life.

_I just ruined what could've been the best part of me,_ she thought as she rocked herself. _I have taken the only thing that might've been worthwhile and destroyed it._

The thought did not sit well.

Shego was so overcome by her grief that she didn't hear her door opening slowly. She didn't hear Drakken call her name softly but, when his arms finally wrapped around her, pulling her away from the wall and into his lap, she didn't protest.

Unable to comprehend how he could've known, she cried even harder when he started rocking her, whispering softly.

"It is for the best."

Normally she would've hated for him to see her like this, hated for him to comfort her like a little girl, but this time, she didn't care, the pain in her so vast that she needed his presence as a buffer.

They stayed there like that for a time incomprehensible until Shego finally felt the raw emptiness of her spent emotion. It was only then that she pushed herself away from her employer and looked at him, trying to read the emotions in his stoic face. He didn't say anything, pulling his arms away from her so that she could get up as she wanted to.

"Why?" Shego asked, not even fully understanding for what she was asking the question for.

"Because I need you and you need me," Drakken said simply, giving her a one shouldered shrug. "Because you cannot belong to both me and Kim Possible and survive. And because Shego, people like us are not meant to love. Why do you think I am alone?"

She snorted and wiped at her face, wishing that she could wash it to remove all traces of her crying.

"Because you're an idiot," she muttered and stood up but her heart wasn't in it. Sighing she looked around her room, the loneliness in her evaporating a little. "Why aren't you angry with me Dr. D? I thought that you'd be livid if I helped Kim Possible."

Drakken shrugged and pushed himself up like an old man. "I told you Shego," he said dryly. "What you do in your own time is up to you as long as it does not have a negative impact on me. I would've been somewhat negative about the whole scenario if you continued to see Kim Possible on a… _social_ bases after this, but without a lot of encouragement from me, you've taken matters into your own hands and made the right decision as how to deal with it." He shrugged and moved to the door. "Besides, I might just be able to use this to my advantage."

Shego's stomach turned to ice as she watched her employer. Sometimes, he was smarter and more ruthless than she gave him credit for.

"How?" she queried but he smiled.

"You'll see soon enough," he said with a devious glint in his eyes before his gaze softened. "Do you need anything else Shego?"

Feeling drained, the young woman shook her head numbly.

"Right," Drakken said and turned his back on her. "Then, if you need me, I'll be in the synthodrone lab. Take it easy for a day or two Shego, we have a lot of work ahead of us. I trust that you will put all of this behind you now, I cannot afford to have you distracted."

When she blinked, she was alone in her room again, with Dr. Drakken's whistling a tuneless melody as he walked down the corridor.

Rubbing her brow to try and fend off a pending headache, Shego went over to her bed and sat down, looking at the Cuddle Buddy. She allowed her fingers to gently caress the pandaroo as she turned it over and over in her hands.

Then, finally – she closed her eyes and incinerated it.

888

She didn't remember how she had gotten home, her head numb and buzzing with what had just transpired.

Kimberlee Ann Possible stood outside her house in the predawn hours, looking at the front door with a sense of loss. She took a step towards it to open it, then paused and closed her eyes. Unable to find the strength to go inside, she sank down on their front porch and closed her eyes. She should've cried, screamed and shouted. She knew that she wanted to, but she could not make herself do anything.

_What now? _She thought as she tried to imagine how she was going to find the strength to go into the house and carry on with her life. _What now?_

She didn't have the answer because in truth she didn't even know what had just happened.

_Shego,_ she thought silently. _Shego why?_

The woman had played her, taught her, saved her and destroyed her all in the span of a couple of days. Kim felt as if her very soul had been torn to shreds by the woman's words.

_Is this what Teryl Adamson felt?_ Kim thought numbly as she leaned forward and hugged her knees, trying to ease out the tight feeling in her chest. _Is this what had turned her? This empty sensation?_ _I feel as if I'm freefalling with my back to the ground and I don't know when to pull my parachute…_

The door opened behind her and with a soft sound of fabric shifting together, her mother sank down beside her.

"Kimmie?" She queried. "What are you doing outside love? Where have you been? I thought you were in your room sleeping."

Kim's parents were probably the only people in the world who wouldn't be surprised if she confessed to going to another country overnight.

Kim flinched when her mother's light hand brushed over her shoulders as she tried to give her a light hug, but stopped herself when she felt Kim shift away from her.

"What's wrong darling?"

Kim swallowed and pushed herself up to look at her mother and tell her that she was fine, but when she met the woman's gaze under their dim torch light, her throat constricted and the numb tightness in her chest throbbed. She blinked tears but quickly wiped them away but her mother already saw it.

The woman closed her eyes briefly and let out a soft breath.

"Have you come back from meeting Shego?" she queried softly, her voice holding a depth and understanding that cut the last of Kim's resolve.

Closing her eyes, she bit her lip to stop herself from sobbing and had to take several deep breaths to get herself under control. Without saying anything, she nodded numbly and her mother didn't seem at all surprised.

"What happened?" the woman asked softly, her hand tightening ever so slightly in Kim's back.

She didn't want to tell her mother, but they have always had such a comfortable, open relationship that lying to her didn't come naturally.

"She hurt me," Kim said before she could stop herself, immediately regretting it when she felt her mother freeze. She could feel the woman look at her quickly in order to establish that her wounds weren't physical, before she took a steadying breath and said softly.

"I'm sorry Kimmie."

Kim swallowed as her throat constricted with tears she couldn't make herself cry.

"Yeah. Well." She said softly. "I should've known better."

There was a long pause as her mother turned over her words.

"Sometimes Kimmie," she said softly. "We do things even though we feel that they are wrong for us because we need to do them. We don't always have a choice."

Her words were very ambiguous but Kim suspected that her mother knew _exactly _what she was talking about. Swallowing, she shrugged and started to prepare herself to stand up.

"Shego had a choice mom," she said. "Only heroes do what they have to do, villains and side kicks have a choice. She pointed that out to me _several_ times."

Her mom sighed softly. "You'll be surprised Kim," she said. "I think that Shego's also bound by the same rules that you are. She just fights against it." She held up her hand quickly when Kim started to protest, wanting to accuse her of choosing the villainess's side above hers. "Chances are, she didn't mean to hurt you Kim. Might be that she thought she had to."

Kim snorted and shook her head, reflecting on the words Shego threw at her. "She meant it Mom," she said. "She doesn't want to be… friends with me. This was a once off situation which she did because she probably couldn't stand being indebted to me. To her… I was just…" Her face constricted as the pain in her chest became more acute.

"This was just a game to her Mom. Some sport. Me? Just a player on the field that she could screw over. I don't mean anything to her and she… she doesn't mean anything to me."

It sounded childish saying it like that but she didn't care. She just didn't care anymore.

Pushing herself up, Kim went to the door, but hesitated to make sure that her mother got up safely, remembering that the woman was still unwell. Ann Possible remained seated, looking up at her daughter, her face an expression of pain.

"Kimmie come here," she said softly. "Don't go now, not like this."

Kim closed her eyes and shrugged, wrapping her numbness around her like a cloak.

"How else can I go Mom?" she queried. "I was used. I made a stupid judgement error. She used me..." The tears burned behind her eyes again and when her mother pushed herself up and came to her, Kim had to take a step back, frightened that the woman's touch would make her loose her cool.

She did not want to feel the full spectrum of the emotions milling around inside her.

She still had too much to do.

"I'm going to bed," she said before her mother could hug her and opened the house door. "Sorry for... Everything Mom."

Realizing that her daughter didn't want to be touched, Ann sighed softly and hugged herself against the night

"You're not to blame Kimmie," she said. "For everything. You are such a gift to me."

In the funk that she was in, Kim didn't believe her but went into the house and silently went up to her room.

Ann waited a moment longer before she sighed and went into the house as well. It seemed that her daughter could do anything except deal with a broken heart.

888

Kim waited until she heard her mother return to the main bedroom before she left her room again, her heart heavy with dread. She didn't go outside this time, but down to the section of the basement where her father normally worked. As she suspected, he had spend quite a lot of time down here while she was gone.

When the world didn't make sense to Dr. James Timothy Possible he normally retreated to something which did.

His work.

Looking around his home lab, Kim's stomach twisted painfully as she moved to his desk where she could see some of his notes and two of his PDAs. Her father was a bit scatter brained when it came to keeping it all together. Grimacing, Kim went closer to his desk and picked up one of the PDAs. She scanned through the contents, her mind returning to the conversation she had had with Big Daddy Brotherson.

"_I don't expect you to do anything for me,"_ he had said. _"I don't even require you to steal anything because, let's face it – if I wanted that, I could've asked Shego."_

"_What do you want then?"_ Kim had asked, her heart beating as wildly then as it was now. The small round man had smiled at her then, his eyes cruel as he seized the moment.

"_Information,"_ he said. _"Your father is currently working on something called the Hephaestus Project. You've heard of it?"_

She hadn't liked where it was going from the start, but Kim had consoled herself by saying that her father would've given anything to have her mother safe.

"_He's mentioned it,"_ she said blankly but didn't volunteer any other information though she knew that it was only a matter of time.

"_Good,"_ Big Daddy had said. _"That would make your job a little easier."_

Unable to wait any longer, Kim had asked sharply. _"What is it?"_

The man smiled. _"I want you to tell me how far your father is with it or whether he's made a significant breakthrough in say the past couple of days. That's all. Just tell me where he is with it."_

"_I don't know anything about it,"_ Kim had said uncomfortably, though she knew that it wouldn't save her. Not anymore.

"_Then I'm one up on you," _the obese man said with a chuckle. _"Because I do. So really Kim Possible, what I ask of you isn't such a big request after all. I know all I need to know at this stage, only I'm not sure where your father stands in the grand scheme of things. If you tell me whether he's making progress and when he's made an actual breakthrough, then I will give you the information that you need on your mother. It's a small price to pay, don't you think?" _

She had thought so, back when she thought that life made sense but now as she stood with her father's work in her hands, she couldn't help but feel that she was betraying him and her mother, whom she had done it for.

What she felt didn't matter anymore though. Kim had promised to deliver the information and she was going to stick by her word. She had betrayed so much of herself the past couple of days that one more thing probably didn't matter. So, she read though her father's emails until she found something worthwhile.

It was a simple email, send to her father's colleague Professor Ramesh who had asked after her mother.

_No word yet,_ her father said. _The only good news that I have, bitter now, is that I've cracked Hephaestus. The secret of the gods at my fingertips while my wife and daughter are out there. Lost._

Kim closed her eyes and put the PDA down immediately and fleeing from her father's lab as quickly as she could.

When she was finally in her room again she took out her mobile and stared at it. There had been quite a lot of messages on it when she first returned home, most from her father wanting to know where she was, some from friends who had heard about her mother.

And, there was one blank text message from an unlisted number. She went to that one slowly and replied simply:  
_My father's done it; he says he's cracked the Hephaestus Project._

_FIN – The Healer's Touch._

_AN: So. The End.  
But, not the end of the story.  
Ah, I feel as if I have a little stage fright now that I need to address you. :) This story has a lot of readers and judging by the mixed response, I suspect that I lost some of you in it. It was very hard following through with an idea which I knew would not be popular. But, for all the changes I made through the course of this, I realized that my goal was still the same. The idea was the build a Kim which I could take into the story of So the Drama. The sequel to this will deal with that. I should've reminded you continuously that this story takes place just before that. :) _

_So, if willing and you don't hate me too much after this, I request that you return for the next instalment. ;) I promise to make it worth your while. _

_My thanks as always to my Betas. Tenchi Knight, PixieJenn and Noncynic who have all helped me repeatedly and continuously. Also, again my thanks to you, the readers, to those who review especially. It helps, knowing what people think. It sooths the ego as well admittedly, even though I don't always hear what I want to, lol. ;P You help me become better. _

_With National Novel Writing Month starting in a few hours, I'm still not sure what I'm going to write, so the chances are, you'll be seeing me pretty soon with the next instalment of this. _

_Thank you again, _

_Yours in writing. _

_Alyss. _


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